


you and i are a story that never gets told

by brokenshards



Series: Rewriting Merlin's Wrongs [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-02
Updated: 2013-04-02
Packaged: 2017-12-07 07:19:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 67,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/745812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenshards/pseuds/brokenshards
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Perhaps there was another way, if only it had gone a little different at the start. How it should've been, aka Series 2 the proper way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

It had been several months since Arthur’s near death incident, but Morgana hadn’t been the same since. Her dreams were only getting worse, and most nights she found herself curled up by her window, watching the stars as the night went by.

However, this night proved to be one that would be restless for the whole castle. The workers that the king had commissioned were anything but quiet, and her room was practically shaking from the force of their banging.

Gwen had thankfully, for her sake, gone home to sleep in her nice quiet bed. Unfortunately for Morgana, that meant she was awake and alone. That left her with one option. Since Arthur was undoubtedly awake already, she figured it wouldn’t be intruding if she went to visit him. 

She had found herself thinking of Arthur more and more on these sleepless nights. Her dreams were almost always filled with him, and her days were spent surrounded by his lingering presence. It wasn’t a surprise that her mind was full of him, but it was surprising how much she suddenly craved it, the non-stop whirlwind of Arthur.

She pushed open his door, peering into the darkness. The hallway was cold, and she found herself drawn further into the warmth of his room. She let the door shut behind her, engulfing her in the black.

The prince was lying on his stomach, his face pressed firmly into a pillow. He mumbled out, “Merlin, I thought I told you to get them to stop, not get louder!” 

A stray pillow suddenly hit Morgana in the chest, presumably having been thrown by the spoiled brat lying a few feet away. Shocked at his behavior, she yelled out indignantly, “Ow! Arthur!”

Arthur’s head shot up, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. “Morgana? What are you doing here?” He looked around the room in confusion, as if she had suddenly appeared by magic and not walked through the door.

She smoothed out her gown from where the pillow had wrinkled her skirts and wrapped her robe tighter around her. “Currently recovering from being hit by a pillow, thanks ever so much for that.”

“I thought you were Merlin.” Even in the dark, Morgana could see the sheepish look on his face. Or perhaps she just knew him well enough that she could see it in her head; she wasn’t sure. Lately she wasn’t sure of a lot of things.

He ran his fingers through his messy blonde hair, clearly uncomfortable with having just assaulted Morgana. “Sorry if I hurt you.”

She simply scoffed and moved over to his bed to perch on the corner. “It was just a pillow, Arthur. I’m more accustomed to verbal abuse from you, but this wasn’t that much of a step up, really.”

He spluttered, “Verbal abuse? Morgana, I—”

Her laughter cut off his tirade, her eyes glittering even in the darkness. “Oh, don’t get so upset Arthur, I was only joking. You know I enjoy our fights.” She shoved his shoulder lightly, grinning at him.

He rubbed his shoulder as if it were sore, faking pain. “Who’s abusive now?”

She smiled and pushed him again, causing him to fall back against the pillows.

As he slowly sat up, he studied her face. In the glow of the moon, he noticed the dark circles forming under Morgana’s eyes, and he knew that this wasn’t the first night she had been kept awake. Softly, he spoke, “You never did tell me what you were doing here.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” She gestured to the ground, where the noises were floating up through the floorboards.

“That isn’t why you were awake though, was it?” 

She looked at him curiously, certain that he could read her mind sometimes. “No. But that doesn’t really matter.”

“It does matter. It’s the nightmares, isn’t it?” He sounded so concerned, and it cut at Morgana. If only he knew.

“It’s fine, Arthur, really.” She didn’t want to have this conversation with him. She wanted him to laugh and joke and take her mind off things like usual.

“Morgana, you don’t have to hide this, you can talk to me.” He reached across the covers and grasped her hand in his.

For just a moment, she considered telling him—sharing the fears brewing in her heart, but she couldn’t get the words out. Suddenly, the noises from below stopped, leaving them in agonizing silence.

She yanked her hand away and forced a smile on her lips. “Guess I can finally get some sleep now.”

He made to grab for her hand again as she stood, but she was too quick for him. “Morgana.” The tone in his voice was clearly disapproving, but she ignored it.

“Good night, Arthur.” She slipped out into the hall, the warmth of his room suddenly suffocating.

\---

When she wakes screaming a few nights later, she doesn’t seek him out. She simply calls for Gwen and hopes that her arms will chase the demons away as well as Arthur could.

\---

Soon after, there is chaos in Camelot, and Morgana is not the least bit surprised. However, she is worried. 

Arthur is hurt, and she only stops herself from running to his side because someone had beaten her to it. Gwen is there, and she doesn’t appear to be leaving any time soon. Arthur’s staring at her with something like admiration in his eyes, and Morgana could swear she just heard him thank Gwen for something. 

Apparently Gwen saved his life, and really, shouldn’t she just be glad of that fact? But something deep within her rears its ugly head and taunts her with envious thoughts. Had it been her that saved him, Arthur would never have admitted it, let alone thanked her.

She desperately wants to taunt him about it, to make it into a joke—something that he’ll regret. But she stops herself. She simply brings Gwen some bandages and helps tend to his wound.

When his arm finds its way across her shoulder as she wraps bandages around him, she feels some of the envy wash away. It is only Arthur, after all.


	2. The Once and Future Queen

Morgana was growing tired of wandering the castle; she had been doing so since her dreams had awoken her at dawn. Normally she would have woken Arthur and talked with him to pass the hours, but he had already left by the time she arrived at his chambers. There was no one around, and she was utterly and truly bored. 

Through an open window, she heard sounds of commotion coming from the grounds below. She noticed Arthur and his knights practicing for the coming tournament and decided to go and watch them. A bunch of boys hitting each other with sticks wasn’t her prime choice of entertainment, but it would do.

She found Merlin first, the boy’s dark hair and red shirt standing out in a sea of men clad in armor. The look on his face told her that he wasn’t quite enjoying the event, but then again, when did he ever enjoy being bossed around by Arthur? A smile ghosted across her lips at the thought.

“Merlin!” She called out to him, slowing his quest to find another lance for Arthur.

He spun around and a grin broke out on his face, chasing away his look of discontent. “Lady Morgana, I didn’t expect to see you out here.”

His smile was infectious and she grinned back at him. “Well, the castle is a bit empty. I figured I’d come watch Arthur get hit round the head a few times, that always cheers me up.”

Merlin stifled a laugh, silently hoping for that outcome as well. Their fun was broken up as quickly as it started however, as Arthur screamed for Merlin’s assistance.

“Duty calls.”

As Merlin ducked out of view, Morgana headed up to the risers, enjoying the looks of shock as she sauntered past the knights.

Arthur still had yet to catch sight of her, which was just fine. Let the others stare, Arthur would eventually figure it out. 

She so did enjoy when a jealous Arthur came to play; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d reamed out his knights for staring at her. The yelling came right on cue; however, it was not over the topic she had planned.

Arthur was yelling at Sir Leon for pulling out in their joust. He spun on the rest of the crowd, “I do not expect any special treatment from you, from any of you! Is that understood?”

Morgana scoffed at this, finally catching the Prince’s attention. He shot her an angry glare, clearly displeased that she had witnessed the whole scene. This would undoubtedly become ammo for more torture from her, he was sure.

She found him after practice, entering his chambers silently as he threw his armor about the room. 

Merlin was struggling to appease the Prince, but it wasn’t working out.

Arthur’s screams echoed throughout the enclosed space. “Now you’re doing it! You’re telling me exactly what you think I want to hear!”

Morgana laughed at his outburst, shaking her head at his antics. “Well, you can be sure you won’t get that treatment from me.”

Arthur whirled on her, still fuming. “Oh well, that’s such a relief. I can count on you to be a pain in my ass as usual.”

Merlin coughed a bit at that, apparently shocked by his master’s choice of words towards a lady.

Morgana just took it in stride; she was accustomed to their banter. “Poor Arthur, being worshipped by your people becoming too much for you? Hate to see how you act when you become King.” She rolled her eyes for good measure, fully annoyed by his childishness.

He ignored her question and continued to strip himself of his armor. As he pulled his chainmail over his head, he could be heard mumbling, “Thank you oh-so-much for your input, Morgana, but having you treat me like anyone else is hardly new. It won’t exactly benefit me in the tournament.”

With a cock of the head, she asked, “Will you still be this smug when you are defeated?” 

Arthur tugged off his sweat-soaked shirt, removing the last barrier between his skin and the cool air of the room. He stalked towards Morgana with a look of barely contained rage, clearly tired of her comments. Invading her personal space, he peered down into her eyes from his higher vantage point. “I will win, and not because of any leniencies granted by my knights, of that you can be sure.”

Morgana swallowed lightly, trying her hardest to seem unaffected by his proximity. She could smell the sweat of his skin, could see the bright blue of his eyes shining in the light. He was surrounding her, inhibiting her mind and dulling her sharp wit. She pressed her open palms against his chest and shoved, creating some distance between them. As he stumbled, she regained some of her self-control and smirked at him. “Good luck with that.” She stormed out of the room, slamming the door for good measure on her way out. 

Once in the safety of her own chambers, she relaxed against the cool wood of her door, finally allowing herself to breathe.

\---

Morgana sought out Merlin later and hatched a plan. She decided that she had had quite enough of Arthur’s whining. If he didn’t think he was being treated fairly, then she’d find a way to prove that he can be beaten, prince or not.

“This is a really bad idea.”

“Merlin!” Morgana frowned at his negativity. “This will work, I’m sure.”

“Yes, either Arthur gets knocked down a peg, or you end up mortally wounded. I’m not sure I like those odds.” He shook his head grimly.

Morgana let out a deep sigh. “I know how to joust, Merlin. I’m perfectly capable of riding a horse, and I’m sure that I can beat any of the knights.”

“Yes, but you’re—you’re…” He struggled for the right words, looking adorably perplexed.

“A woman?”

He tried to recover, “Well, yes, but you’re also Uther’s ward. If you get hurt, both of us will get put in the stocks for sure.”

“Then we just won’t get caught then, will we?” She grinned, and Merlin knew he was done for. There was no use arguing against Morgana when she was like this.

“Fine. What do you want me to do?” He just knew this wasn’t going to end well.

\---

Merlin had located someone from the lower town who could pretend to be jousting in the tournament. He wasn’t perfect, but he would have to do. He was slender enough to resemble Morgana’s build, and as long as he could sit on a horse for a few minutes that was all that really mattered.

Morgana enlisted Gwen’s help in her scheme, even though she was almost as unwilling as Merlin.

“Morgana…” Gwen’s voice held a subtle warning, but she knew better than to actually voice it.

“All you have to do is keep Arthur away. Distract him; make sure he doesn’t stop by the tent. Or my chambers. I can’t have him putting the pieces together.” Morgana implored her friend; the success of this plan was dependent on Arthur not finding out.

“Fine. But you better be careful.” She gave her mistress a swift hug before leaving.

And careful she was. Morgana won all of her jousts on the first day with ease. She had nearly been hit once, but she dodged the blow and thankfully had remained on her horse. She watched from the safety of her tent as Arthur beat his opponents as well. Her plan was working out perfectly. If she played it right, she would be able to joust against him in the finals, and even if he lost before that she would still get the satisfaction of rubbing it in his face.

Merlin came in to help remove her armor, looking quite pale.

“You weren’t worried, were you, Merlin?” She teased him, knowing full well that he had been terrified for her.

“No, not at all.” His voice sounded quite confident, although he neglected to tell her that he had used magic to save her life at one point.

Morgana just smiled to herself and ruffled the boy’s hair.

\---

Morgana snuck out of the tent after all the other knights had already left and made her way to her room for a nice, long bath. When she reached her chambers, however, she was met with an unpleasant surprise.

“We missed you at the tournament today.” Arthur sat in her chair, his feet propped up on a wooden chest as he waited for her.

So much for keeping him away from her chambers. “Yes, well, I just didn’t feel up to watching. I’m sure you had enough adoring fans without me there.” She strode into the room, shoving his legs out of her way as she crossed over to her armoire.

“It was just a bit lonely without you or Merlin to annoy me.”

She grabbed a gown out of the armoire, giving up on her hopes of a bath now that Arthur was there. Although she knew full well what Merlin had been doing, she decided to feign interest for the sake of keeping up pretenses. She looked back over her shoulder at him. “Merlin wasn’t there?”

He leant back into the chair, propping his feet back up into their earlier position. “He was busy helping some other knight; I figured he could drive someone else nuts for the day.”

She rolled her eyes in a dramatic display. “How chivalrous of you.” Stepping behind her dressing screen, she began to change out of her sweat-soaked clothes. If Arthur wanted to barge in her chambers unannounced, he would just have to deal with her normal routines being carried out with him there. “Well, I hope you weren’t too terribly bored without us.”

His eyes widened briefly at the realization that Morgana was changing in front of him, but he kept his composure. The little minx was merely teasing him, as usual. He swallowed, trying to rid his throat of its newfound dryness. “Guinevere kept me company.”

She faltered in her movements for a second. She had asked Gwen to do that, she knew. It was nothing. “I hope you weren’t too horrible to her. She’s too nice for her own good, really. She probably just didn’t know how to escape you.”

“Not everyone finds my company as unpleasant as you, Morgana.” He tried to hide it, but there was thinly veiled venom in his tone.

“Come now, if I despised you that much I would’ve thrown you out by now.” She sauntered out from behind the curtain, her nightgown hanging open loosely in the back. “Make yourself useful, would you?”

With a frustrated shake of his head, he begrudgingly stood up and helped with the top fastenings on her dress. “You’re lucky I’m such a gentleman, most would take advantage of a situation like this.” 

She elbowed him in the chest. “You’re not a gentleman, you’re a prat.”

Laughing to himself, he rubbed at the sore spot forming from her blow. “You’ve been around Merlin too much.”

“Well, I have to plot with someone to find new ways to torture you.” She spun around to face him, finding him closer than she anticipated. With a slight intake of breath, she took a step back to make room between them.

His grin indicated that he knew exactly what was running through her head, and it drove her slightly mad. “I’m sure you do well enough on your own.”

She shook her head at him, holding back a smile. “I should probably retire for the night, as should you. Busy day and all, tomorrow.”

Laughing, he retorted, “Real warriors don’t need sleep!” He flopped down on her bed as if to prove that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Arthur…” Somewhere deep down she almost enjoyed seeing him like that, grin on his face, snuggled down in her mussed up covers. But she squashed the feeling.

“Alright, alright. I’ll let you get your beauty sleep. You clearly need it.” He hopped off her bed, ducking successfully under the hairbrush that was thrown in his direction. “I’ll see you at the tourney tomorrow?”

Swallowing the burgeoning guilt in her throat, she nodded. “Of course.”

“Goodnight, Morgana.” He slipped out of her room, his footsteps receding down the hall.

She couldn’t back out now, no matter how endearing that pompous ass of a prince could be.

\---

Merlin started readying Morgana for the last battle of the tournament, the final match between her and Arthur. It was all he could do to hold in his comments. This wasn’t going to end well, he just knew.

Morgana had instructed Gwen to inform Arthur that she was not feeling well, and that she was resting for the day. Hopefully Arthur would buy the excuse.

Merlin finally broke the crushing silence filling the tent. “You’re ready.”

Morgana smiled at him, trying her best to reassure herself. This was only Arthur, she could defeat him. He would sulk for a few days, she would get endless enjoyment from it, and then everything would go back to normal. It would be fine.

She pulled on her helmet and headed out to mount her horse. From across the arena, she could see Gwen handing Arthur his lance, a smile on both their lips. The sight made her grip the reins tighter, for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.

She and Arthur both rode out to the center of the arena, preparing for the horn to sound. Morgana raised her lance and spurred her horse onwards.

Merlin watched from the sidelines, not sure who he was rooting for, but dreading the outcome either way. 

Morgana and Arthur both charged; the only sound in the stadium was that of hoof beats and baited breath. Morgana steadied her lance, aiming it at Arthur’s chest. She missed and clipped the edge of his arm as she went by, but it wasn’t enough to declare the win. They both went back to their positions, readying for the second pass. Morgana lifted the lance and rode out with great speed. Yet, when the time came for her to make the hit, she caught sight of his blue eyes under his helmet, and she lost her resolve for a fraction of a second. Her arm wavered, and she knew she should pull out, but it was too late. She suddenly felt a crushing pain in her chest, and lost her breath from the blow. Arthur’s lance had made contact, and the force of the impact threw her from the horse. 

The crowd erupted in cheers, praising their reigning champion. The sounds were a dull roar in Morgana’s ears as she lay on the ground. The pain in her chest was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she was seeing stars. Arthur’s face swam in her vision as he stood above her, his golden hair mussed from being in his helmet.

“Are you alright?” He offered his hand to her, attempting to assist his fallen opponent.

She tried to raise her arm but found the pain was too great. Thankfully, Merlin suddenly appeared at her side and lifted her to her feet, mumbling something about getting Gaius to take care of it.

Merlin rushed her back to the castle, dropping bits of her armor across the ground in his hurry to help her. They reached Gaius’s chambers, finding him with a look of frustration and disappointment on his face. He shook his head at the sight, knowing without asking what had happened.

Gaius helped Morgana to undress, leaving her only in her underclothes. Merlin blushed profusely and turned away. Upon completing his inspection, Gaius concluded that Morgana had broken a rib from the blow and sustained several other bruises from her fall.

“You’ll have to rest for several days, Morgana. These injuries will take time to heal.”

She shook her head. “I have to be at the feast tonight. I’m supposed to accompany…” She stopped as she realized who the champion was that would be escorting her. “Arthur.”

Gaius fumbled with her bandage at that statement. “It’s far too risky, if Uther finds out what you have done—”

“It’ll be fine, Gaius. None of my bruises will be visible and I only have to dine and made idle chat with the knights.”

Gaius was still reluctant. “And Arthur?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and repeated, “It’ll be fine.”

\---

After some careful maneuvering by Gwen, Morgana finally managed to get into a gown for the feast. She opted for one of her looser garbs, hoping that the pain wouldn’t be as great.

She had made Gwen turn down Arthur’s offer to escort her to the great hall, even though she knew it would wound his pride a bit. It was best that she spent as little time alone with him as possible.

With Gwen there for support, Morgana made it to the hall and steadied herself before entering. She was met by Arthur, who took her arm as required, but did not speak to her. They were introduced, and as applause echoed through the hall, she walked along with Arthur to their seats. 

She sat down and immediately felt the lack of Arthur’s warmth against her arm. He still hadn’t looked at her. Clearing her throat, she decided to break the silence. “Congratulations on winning today. I heard it was quite a show.”

“Merlin informs me that I broke Sir William’s ribs.” His voice was cold with barely concealed disdain. Whether it was directed at her or stemming from his own guilt was unclear.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She glanced across the room, finding “Sir” William drinking and laughing with several of the other knights. She bit down hard on her tongue at the sight, praying that he would not spoil everything.

Arthur finally turned to look at her, carefully studying her face. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

At that, Morgana’s attention quickly turned from William, her head snapping around to look at Arthur. “No, I haven’t!” Her tone was a tad more indignant than necessary, but she would never avoid Arthur on purpose. Unless he had particularly annoyed her, that is.

His eyes narrowed. “You promised you would come to the tournament, yet you never came.”

“I was not well, I’m sure Gwen informed you.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see William laughing raucously at something Leon had said.

“Yes, I got the message. But you seem perfectly fine now.”

Trying hard to focus fully on Arthur, she smiled through clenched teeth. “Truly, I should still be in bed now, but I didn’t want to miss the feast.” At least she was being honest about that.

“How kind of you to grace us with your presence.” 

If Uther was not watching, Morgana was sure Arthur would have rolled his eyes. 

“Well if you’re so upset with me being here, I guess I should just relieve you of the burden of conversing with me.” As gracefully as she could manage with a broken rib, she spun out of her chair, her gown swirling around her as she hurried to get away.

She didn’t make it far, however, for Arthur quickly grabbed her arm and tugged her back. The movement caused a burning ache to shoot through her torso, and despite her best attempts to be nonchalant, the hiss of pain was audible through her lips.

Arthur’s stilled his movements, whatever protest he had dying on his lips. The look that crossed his face was a muddle of emotions that Morgana could not read. He slowly released her arm and returned to his seat, saying nothing.

Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat, Morgana followed suit and sat down as well. The rest of the night was uncomfortable, to say the least. She was in pain, and the awkward silence that hung between her and Arthur was palpable. But unfortunately, it could get worse.

Sir William, who had drank a considerable amount of wine, decided it was a good idea to get the attention of everyone in the hall and propose a toast. Morgana should have known that pretending to be a knight was enough to give anyone a big head. He stood up on the table, grinning like an idiot and sloshing wine across his feet. “A toast, to Prince Arthur! The best of us all!” He thrust his right arm in the air, holding his cup high.

Morgana got up from her chair, trying her best to subtly catch William’s attention. This was dangerous territory, and with that much wine in his system… 

William caught her eye and smiled. But instead of stopping, he continued on. “And to the Lady Morgana! Really, it’s a shame that she’s so enamored with the Prince, right boys?”

There was a smattering of laughter in the hall and Morgana turned bright red from both embarrassment and fury. Thankfully Merlin was there to rescue her from further humiliation as he yanked William off the table and had several of the servants deliver him to his chambers to sleep it off.

Morgana felt Arthur’s hand in hers and she debated shoving him off, but he gently tugged to get her attention. He nodded in the direction of the back doors and Morgana reluctantly agreed to follow him. Even his silence was less uncomfortable than being here with the rest of the court after that display.

As soon as he got out of the doors, he whirled on her, anger blazing in those sapphire eyes. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

“What are you talking about?” She held her ground, refusing to give up any information.

“I knew there was something familiar about the way that so-called knight rode.”

“Arthur, really—”

He cut her off, “Morgana, did you forget who taught you to joust in the first place? I know you better than you think.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She moved to push by him, growing apprehensive due to this conversation.

Arthur caught her arm and held her fast. “Strange how Sir William was able to lift his arm up so easily with broken ribs, isn’t it?” He spat out the moniker ‘sir’ as if it had forever been tainted by this man.

She had to tilt her head to look up at him from the angle where he held her. “I’m sure his pain was just dulled by an excess of wine.”

“Oh, really?” It was clear from his eyes that he had already worked it all out, and he wasn’t letting it go yet.

“Yes, really, Arthur. Now if you would kindly let me go.” She tugged against his grip, but it was futile. 

“What was your plan, exactly? To win and embarrass me in front of everyone?”

“While it would please me to see you publicly beaten by a woman, I didn’t have any plans, so if you’ll excuse me—”

He cocked his head and a smirk blossomed on his lips. “Then explain this.” With his free hand, he reached out and pressed his fingers hard against her ribs.

There was no stopping the cry that escaped her. She doubled over in agony, Arthur’s hold on her arm the only support keeping her upright.

Arthur immediately grabbed at her shoulders to steady her, all thoughts of malice suddenly long gone.

She shoved him off, however. “You are such an ass, Arthur Pendragon.”

His face instantly sobered, recognizing too late the foolishness of his actions. “I’m sorry, Morgana, I just—”

“Just wanted to be right, as usual. Well you win, Arthur. Are you planning to tell Uther as well? I’m sure some time in chains will teach me the error of my ways.” She was still halfway bent over, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her normal breathing.

Arthur was briefly mesmerized by the rhythm of her breath, but he forced himself to look at the ground instead. “I wouldn’t do that, Morgana.” He had the audacity to look slightly wounded by her words. “You should know that.”

She slowly straightened up to her full height, only wincing intermittently as her muscles pulled across her broken bones. “Yes, well the Arthur I know wouldn’t assault me for a victory.” She caught his eyes as he met her gaze. She knew she was reacting quite petulantly, but the pain of the injury and Arthur’s brutish actions was clouding her judgment. “You even let me win our swordfights as children.”

“Well, to be fair, you occasionally won just on merit.” He attempted a smile, but the look on Morgana’s face made him rethink the act.

She shook her head, feeling drained after all that had happened in the day. “I’m going to bed.”

“Morgana, please.” He caught her hand, this time with a much gentler grip. “I didn’t, I mean, I wasn’t thinking…” A sigh loosed itself from his chest. “Please.”

She yanked her hand away and, in an imitation of his earlier move, shoved her fingers against his chest. “Goodnight, Arthur.”

His guilt ebbed away, gradually being replaced by irritation. “Fine, then. You were the one dense enough to enter in a joust, it’s not my fault you were hurt.”

Morgana glared at him. “I wasn’t asking for an apology.”

“Good, because you won’t get one!” he huffed.

She let out a short, bitter laugh. “Fine!”

“Fine!”

She spun away from him, stomping off down the hall.

Once she rounded a corner, Arthur slumped against the nearest wall, burying his face in his hands. He mumbled against his fingers, “Idiot.”


	3. The Nightmare Begins

Arthur woke to the sounds of screaming. Strangely, they seemed to dissipate upon waking, as if they were only inside his head. He was fully prepared to ignore the incident and go back to sleep, but Merlin came bursting into his room, looking frantic.

Arthur barely had time to open his mouth to speak before Merlin answered the unspoken question. “It’s Morgana.”

The boys both ran through the halls to get to Morgana’s chambers as quickly as possible. Once they reached the scene, they saw several guards standing around the door and a huddled Morgana resting against the wall, wrapped in a blanket.

The guards were clearing out the room when Arthur got to them, and even though he desperately wanted to talk to Morgana, he stopped short and turned to the guards instead. Morgana hadn’t talked to him in two weeks, ever since the incident after the joust. “What happened here?”

One of the guards explained that there was a fire, and that they had to put it out before it spread throughout the room. No one was hurt, but the window was broken and the curtains were devoured by the flames. Arthur bit down on his lip and nodded curtly to dismiss the guards. He was torn between being furious that this could’ve happened, and terrified that Morgana could’ve been hurt.

Hushed voices behind him caught his attention, and Arthur turned to find Merlin comforting Morgana. Merlin must have made some joke or something, because Morgana smiled slightly and wrapped her arms around Merlin’s neck in a loose hug. Merlin hesitated, but embraced her eventually, the blanket engulfing them both and shielding them from Arthur’s prying eyes. After waiting long enough, Arthur cleared his throat to get their attention.

Morgana’s watery smile disappeared immediately, a frown marring her features. Her arms dropped from Merlin’s neck to rest by her sides. “Arthur.” She was still terrified, unable to explain what had happened, and unwilling to admit what she feared to be true. Therefore, Arthur was the last person she needed to see now; her feelings were clouded enough without him around.

He seemed ignorant to her inner turmoil, however. “Are you alright?” Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Merlin inching slowly away from Morgana.

“I’m fine.” She wrapped her arms around herself in a contradiction to her words.

Arthur knew it was far from true, but they weren’t back to the point where he could call her out on it. He simply nodded and let her have her way for once. “Well, it’s still early. Merlin, could you escort Morgana to my chambers? She can sleep there while I take care of things here.”

As expected, she protested, “Arthur, no, I don’t need—”

“It’s only until we can clean your room properly. Don’t worry, no one will disturb you.” Underneath his words, the message was clear—he wouldn’t be bothering her.

She bowed her head in acceptance, giving in to the exhaustion she felt. She turned and followed Merlin, only stopping once to glance back at Arthur. The fear that was creeping through her veins was almost paralyzing. Maybe if she told Arthur, maybe he’d understand, maybe… She spun away, tearing her eyes off of him and hurrying to keep pace with Merlin.

Merlin opened the door to Arthur’s room for her, eyeing her questioningly. She was being eerily quiet, and it unnerved him.

Morgana traced her fingers along the comforter on Arthur’s bed, debating if she should say anything to Merlin. He was only a servant, he wasn’t Uther’s son; perhaps his bias wasn’t as strong. She turned to him, admitting quietly, “Merlin, the fire wasn’t an accident.”

He cocked his head, confused by her statement. “Did someone set the fire? Morgana, if someone did this, we have to tell Arthur—”

“I think I did it.” She felt the words rush out her mouth before she could stop them.

“Morgana, why would you— I mean, I’m sure you didn’t…”

Suddenly regretting the decision, she backtracked, “I just meant, I lit the candle. I shouldn’t have been so careless.” She bit down on the inside of her cheek, suppressing the scream building up in her chest at her cowardice.

Merlin looked skeptical, but let it pass. “I’m sure it wasn’t your fault, Morgana.”

She made a noise of agreement despite her inner turmoil and slowly peeled back the covers on Arthur’s bed.

“I’ll let you get some rest, my lady.” He slipped out of the room silently and shut the door behind him.

Morgana climbed into the bed, wrapping herself tightly in the covers. She lifted the blankets to her chin and laid her head on the pillow. For some reason she couldn’t explain, she felt compelled to inhale deeply, smelling the faint aroma of sweat and dirt and the trees, and something that she knew was purely Arthur. It was oddly comforting to be wrapped in Arthur’s scent; it bore down on her like a protective covering. Nestling down further into the bed, she allowed herself to be slowly consumed by sleep.

\---

When Arthur finally returned to his chambers after quite a grueling conversation with his father about who might have tried to kill Morgana this time, he was quite surprised to find Morgana sprawled out across his bed. The sun had been up for hours, and he had been certain that she would have cleared out long ago, if only to avoid talking to him. Yet there she was. 

Her hair was spilling across his pillows in an intricate pattern, her legs all askew and hanging out of the covers, and her mouth was slightly open. The sight made him smile; it was so rare to catch Morgana looking this peaceful. He hated to wake her, but if he let her sleep the day away she would possibly be furious.

Arthur crept over to the bed and cautiously laid one hand on Morgana’s shoulder. Her nightgown had ridden down, so his fingers danced across her bare flesh. “Morgana.” He shook her lightly, trying to wake her from her slumber.

She made a grumbling noise and rolled over towards him. “G’way, Gwen.”

He let out a low laugh. “It’s not Gwen.”

One eye popped open, scanning him in her sleepy state. “Arthur?” She opened both eyes to better assess him. “What are you doing here, why are you—”

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “You’re in my room, Morgana.”

Reality dawned on her and she shot straight up, scrambling to get out of the covers. Her legs were becoming hopelessly tangled at this rate, however. “I’m sorry, I’ll just get out…” She finally freed her legs and swung them over the side of the bed. Mumbling more to herself than him, “I can’t believe I slept this long.”

Arthur chuckled at her struggle. “It’s fine, really.” A sly smile broke out across his face. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day where you’d be in my bed. I mean, sure, I imagined it, but it was quite different than this.”

His words sunk in and her face turned three shades redder. “Arthur!” She smacked at him playfully, the weeks of ignoring him quickly forgotten.

“Ah, you calling out my name—that part’s familiar.” His smirk grew; he knew full well how to push her buttons.

She shoved him harder this time, trying to move him out of her path so she could stand. “Arthur Pendragon, I could have you thrown in the stocks for talk like that.”

He made room and allowed her to get to her feet. “Well, you are in my bed, arguments could be made that you were here to seduce me, you know.”

Morgana rolled her eyes and moved past him. “You are intolerable.”

He laughed, pleased that he had finally broken the icy silence between them. “You love it.”

She shook her head, unable to stop the grin on her lips. She headed towards the door, stopping with her fingers on the handle for a brief second.

Arthur remembered why Morgana was there in the first place and grew serious, the fun over. Warily, he asked, “Are you sure that everything’s alright, Morgana?”

Her throat tightened and a chill passed over her skin. Trying her best not to shiver, she nodded stiffly. “I’m fine, Arthur.”

Her eyes never met his, and he could tell that she was lying. He desperately wanted her to let him in, but he just nodded in return and watched her leave.

\---

Morgana was unable to get to sleep the next night. Her eyes were drawn to the vase of flowers that Merlin had so graciously brought her. Suddenly, something overtook her and filled her up with a burning sensation. The next thing she knew, the vase had shattered into a million pieces. She screamed, certain now that something was happening to her. Jumping out of her bed, she slipped on shoes and a cover and rushed out of her room.

Her first thought was to find Arthur; the warmth of his bed had quelled her fears the day before. She changed her mind before she reached his door though, knowing that it would lead to far too many questions. She would go to Gaius; hopefully he’d have a potion that she could take that would fix all of this.

Bursting into Gaius’s chambers, she called out for him, but received no answer. A noise caught her attention and she turned to see Merlin emerging from his room.

“Morgana? Is something wrong?” He scrubbed at his eyes with his hand, clearly having just woken up.

She cleared her throat, suddenly feel terribly awkward standing in front of Merlin in her nightgown for the second time in two days. “I just needed to see Gaius. I was hoping he could get something for my dreams.”

“Are they getting worse?” He was quite alert now and looking concerned for her.

Morgana thought back to yesterday. She had almost told him then… She just needed someone to confirm it, someone to say that it would be fine. “Merlin…” The terror inside her chest was choking off all the oxygen in her lungs.

“You know you can tell me anything, Morgana. I’m your friend.” There was pure sincerity in his voice; he genuinely cared.

Swallowing hard against the lump in her throat, she whispered, “I’m scared, Merlin. I don’t understand anything anymore.”

“It’s okay, Morgana—”

She cut off his statement, “No, it’s not!” Courage was slowly taking over her fear and she knew she had to say it out loud. “It’s magic.”

He paled at that. “What?”

“The candle, the window, the vase in my room—I did that! Something’s happening to me, Merlin. I can’t explain it, or control it. It’s magic, it has to be.” She was determined to get him to believe her, to let her know she wasn’t going crazy.

“Morgana…” he warned. This was dangerous territory, he knew. 

“Please, Merlin. You have to believe me.”

Merlin reached out and took her hand gently in his. “I do.”

She smiled brightly for the first time in days. “You think it’s magic too?”

He bit down on the inside of his cheek, slightly regretting his words. He couldn’t lie to her though, not now. She needed a friend, and he understood so clearly the desperation she was feeling. “It might be, Morgana.” He felt her tense up under his grasp. “I don’t know. But I believe you if that’s what you say it is.”

Her smile had dimmed slightly, but she seemed satisfied for now. “Thank you, Merlin.” She was prepared to leave before a thought hit her. “Merlin? Just… don’t tell Arthur about this.”

Merlin was surprised that Morgana would hide anything as important as this from Arthur, but he couldn’t exactly judge. “I won’t. I promise.”

\---

After several days, Morgana was looking downright ragged. She was exhausted and scared, despite the fact that she had voiced her fears to Merlin. He was there for her to talk to, but he seemed distant.

Arthur was growing concerned, and only slightly jealous. He had noticed Morgana spending more time around Merlin, yet she was back to avoiding Arthur like the plague. Her scent was fading from his sheets and he was back to missing her as fiercely as before. She clearly was having trouble sleeping, but on the few occasions he saw her, if he tried to ask her about it, she would change the subject. He finally gave in and asked Merlin if he knew what was wrong.

Merlin looked like he had choked on his tongue when Arthur asked him. “No, I don’t know anything. Maybe you should ask Gwen.”

Arthur felt defeated, but he didn’t give up. “You’ve been around her a lot lately.”

“We’re… friends. I’m worried about her as well.”

The prince let out a long sigh. “Merlin, I’ve known her my whole life. I’ve never seen her like this. If you know anything…”

The guilt was creeping up on him, but he knew the seriousness of the situation. It was too risky, and he had made a promise. “I don’t. I’m sorry.” He watched as Arthur’s face fell and decided that if he couldn’t help in this way, he would find another way to save Morgana on his own.

\---

Merlin knocked on Morgana’s door after several minutes of pacing outside in the hallway.

A haggard looking Morgana opened the door. Her eyes had lost their usual sparkle and looked ready to vanish in the darkness of the circles underneath them. “Merlin?”

He gathered his courage. “I need to speak with you. Can I come in?”

She stepped aside to let him in the room, shutting the door behind him. Before she could ask what this was about, Merlin started speaking again.

“Morgana, what’s been happening to you… you were right. It is magic.”

She looked shocked at the conviction in his voice. “How can you be sure?”

He took a deep breath to steady himself. He knew that this was possibly a terrible decision, and he knew Gaius wouldn’t approve, but he had to do something. She was his friend, and it was killing both her and Arthur to go on this way; he couldn’t leave her like this. 

Closing his eyes, he clasped his hands together and mumbled something low under his breath. When he opened his eyes, they flashed gold for a brief moment. He held out his cupped palms toward Morgana and opened them to reveal a small flame flickering in his hands.

Morgana’s expression changed from horrified to amazed all in one fluid moment. Her eyes kept flicking back and forth from the flame in his hands to his face. Finally, she found her voice again. “You?”

He nodded slowly, letting the flame die out in his hands.

“How long?”

“Always,” he answered. “Morgana, I know what you’re going through. I know it seems bad now, but magic isn’t something to be scared of.”

She shook her head, as if to clear out her troubled thoughts. “I have always been told that magic was evil.”

He understood her reservations, but he continued on. “Magic isn’t evil, Morgana, people are. Magic can be used for good as well. You can’t help who you are, and magic chose you for a reason. You were the one who told me that, remember?”

A small smile quirked up at the corners of her lips as she recalled the memory, but it quickly vanished. “Uther would still have me killed for this.”

“Perhaps.” Merlin couldn’t lie, but he knew they could get through it together. “Look, I know this is hard, and that you will have to keep it secret, but now you have me. And I’m going to help you.”

“You risked a lot by telling me this.”

He nodded. “I trust you, Morgana.”

Her smile widened. “Thank you, Merlin.” She walked up to him and gently brushed a light kiss across his cheek.

Merlin blushed so deeply his skin grew hot. He found himself smiling in return. “I’ll let you rest now. We can start working on things soon.”

She cocked her head slightly. “Working?”

“Like I said, I’m going to help you.” He grinned at her adorably confused look and turned towards the door. “Goodnight, Morgana.”

As he left, Morgana could feel the weight on her shoulders lift exponentially. Maybe things would be alright.

\---

Morgana and Merlin met up often over the next few weeks to work on their magic. It was helping Morgana a lot; she was happier and seemed to be back to her normal self. They tried their best to keep the meetings a secret, but Arthur was starting to notice. He had even confronted Merlin about it and told him quite plainly that it had to stop. Of course, Arthur’s idea of what was occurring was far from the reality.

Merlin came to Morgana one day to discuss the situation. “Arthur is growing suspicious.”

Her mind immediately went to the worst. “What?”

“He thinks that something is going on between us.” He smirked, seeming quite pleased with the idea.

Morgana rolled her eyes. “That idiot. Doesn’t he know—” She stopped abruptly, realizing she had said too much. “Well, I’ll talk to him about it. I am allowed to have friends after all, it’s not like Arthur owns me or anything.”

Merlin grinned. “Right, of course not.”

\---

“Arthur Pendragon, how dare you dictate who I can and cannot see.” She came bursting into his chambers like a rainstorm, her skirts swirling wildly around her ankles.

Arthur got up from his chair and walked to meet her. “So you admit to seeing him?”

Morgana huffed, “Oh, please, are you honestly jealous about this?” She moved closer, invading his space.

“Jealous?” He scoffed at the idea. “I’m only worried about what father would think.”

Morgana rolled her eyes at his childishness. “He’s my friend, Arthur. You’re friends with him, aren’t you?”

He barely contained a laugh. “I would hardly consider Merlin a friend.” 

She grit her teeth, trying to get past how stubborn this man was. “What about Gwen then? You two spend time together don’t you?”

“That’s different.” 

“How is it different? You two talk, spend time alone together, yet when I do it with Merlin it’s unacceptable?”

His anger was bubbling to the surface. “It is if you are courting him!”

A noise of frustration rumbled through her chest and she had the urge to shake Arthur. “I am not courting him! Or anyone! I am trapped in this castle for hours on end, sorry if I occasionally spend time with the few people I encounter!”

His rage wasn’t quelled by her admission, if anything it added to the flames. “Yet you don’t spend your time with me! You’ve been avoiding me, _again_.”

“God, Arthur, could you be more conceited? Am I only allowed to spend my days with you now?”

He shook his head. “No, no. I just…” He suddenly lost all words and recognized the stupidity of his argument. He turned to move past her, suddenly unable to look at her.

Morgana grabbed him by the arm, her delicate fingers enclosing around his bicep. “Arthur, you have no reason to worry. Trust me, if I decide to court someone, you’ll know.” She smiled up at him, catching his eyes as he brought his gaze back to her. “But even then, you are not allowed to meddle.”

He grinned impishly. “Like you didn’t meddle when I fell for Sophia?”

“Completely different.”

Arthur chuckled at her. “Right.”

She relaxed her fingers and used the flat of her palm to push at his arm. “I still maintain that she brainwashed you.”

Arthur full on laughed now as he swayed from her shove, the vibrations racking through his whole body to the point where Morgana could feel it under her fingertips.

Morgana slowly pulled back her hand, letting her fingers trail across his skin with the movement. “I appreciate the gesture, Arthur. But really, I can take care of myself.”

At the sound of her voice, he was jarred out the haze that the movement of her fingers had created. “So you keep telling me. Won’t stop me from trying to rescue you, though.”

Warmth spread through her body at his words, despite the chauvinistic nature of his statement. “Always my champion, aren’t you?”

He smiled at that. Feeling emboldened, he reached out and pinched a stray curl between his fingers before pushing it back behind her shoulder. “You seem happier now. It’s good to see you this way.”

“I am happy. Or at least, I’m getting there.”

“Because of Merlin?” He seemed almost worried about her response.

“Yes, in part.” She could tell it bothered him for reasons beyond her seeing Merlin so frequently, but she wasn’t sure why. Although if she was being truly honest with herself, she did know, deep down.

Arthur bit down on the inside of his cheek. He wanted to scream, to ask why she couldn’t let him be the one to help her. He could make her happy, he was sure of it. But he just bowed his head and scuffed his foot on the floor, trying to think of something else to say.

Morgana could tell he was struggling with all this; she had been unfair to him lately. “I know I’ve been distant, Arthur. I just didn’t want you to see me so… weak.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It was selfish, I know that.”

He nodded, his eyes still trained on the ground. “I understand.”

She lifted her hand and placed two of her fingers under his chin, tipping his head up to face her. “It won’t happen again.” What she didn’t say was how much she needed him, how he made her the happiest out of anyone in her life. She figured actions were better than words with him anyways, so she rose on her toes and leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

Arthur froze as he felt her kiss, his skin electrified by the slight touch. He clenched and unclenched his fists in an effort to maintain control.

Her lips brushed across his skin slowly as she savored the moment. She had intended to simply show her appreciation for his understanding, but she suddenly wanted more. It was so different from the kiss she had bestowed on Merlin weeks before. She could feel the stubble on his chin under her lips and the warmth of his breath radiating across her cheek. Forcing herself to break the spell, she pulled back, nearly stumbling over her own feet as she did.

Arthur cleared his throat, finding himself struggling to breathe properly.

Morgana smiled and held back the giddy laughter that was on her tongue. She took a step back from him and tipped her head as a gesture to show that she would take her leave. “Goodbye, Arthur.”

He watched her practically run from his chambers and couldn’t help but wonder what on earth had just happened. He found himself smiling for hours after she had left, however.


	4. Lancelot and Guinevere

Things between Morgana and Arthur had been gradually improving ever since their discussion, and the kiss that they never spoke of. Which was why, when Morgana decided to leave on a pilgrimage to her father’s grave, Arthur was having a hard time letting go. He sucked it up, however, refusing to let Morgana know how he felt.

On the day of the journey, Arthur came out to the courtyard to see her off, biting his tongue all the while. He hoisted her up on top of her horse and adjusted her cape for her.

She smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

Arthur handed her the reins and returned the smile. “Have a safe trip.”

Morgana adjusted herself on the horse, taking a hold of the proffered reins. “I’ll see you soon.”

Turning to look at Gwen, he whispered, “Take care of her.”

Gwen simply nodded at him, the hint of a faint smile on her lips.

Morgana clicked her tongue and began to ride, followed by several knights and Guinevere. She glanced back once to look at Arthur, finding him staring in her direction. He looked forlorn, and it almost made her want to laugh. She had spent days alone when Arthur went on hunting trips or some sort of quest for Uther. He could last a few hours without her around to entertain him.

\---

Only an hour into her journey, Morgana and her company were attacked. The bandits came pouring from the woods and she was forcefully ripped from her horse. The knights shoved her and Gwen to the side, telling them to run. Morgana grabbed Gwen’s hand tightly and took off, only to be caught further down the road.

The man in front of them pulled a cloak away from his mouth as he cornered them. He had an eerie smile on his lips, and the look in his eyes was menacing to match. “The Lady Morgana, I presume.”

She tightened her hold on Gwen’s hand. “The king will have your head if any harm comes to me, I warn you.”

He grinned at that. “I have no wish to harm you. You’re much more valuable alive.”

\---

It had been several hours past when Morgana was supposed to return, and Arthur was growing more worried by the minute. “It’s getting dark, she should be back by now!”

Merlin watched as Arthur paced back and forth. “I’m sure she’s fine, Arthur. Maybe she’s just running late.”

“Or maybe something happened to her.” He pulled on his jacket. “I’m going to tell my father.”

Merlin admittedly was worried as well, so he followed Arthur on his pursuit.

Once they reached the king, Arthur explained the situation. He explained that Morgana was due back hours ago, and no one from the party had returned.

Uther was understandably upset. “Dispatch every sentry and guard available, I want her found.”

“Yes, father.” Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat, willing himself to do his duty without being compromised. He had to find Morgana.

\---

Morgana and Gwen had been hauled along by the men until they reached a small camp. Morgana had hatched an escape plan in her head and shared it with Gwen. Perhaps if she could get a weapon, she could fight them off. It was worth a try.

When the men came to her, she declared that she wanted to bathe, and as expected, the pigs guarding her wanted to come and watch.

At the water’s edge, Morgana slowly began to strip off her clothes. She felt the leers of the men and had to suppress a disgusted shiver. She looked to Gwen, who nodded at her. The plan was in motion. She tried to act normal to distract them. “You could at least turn your backs!”

The leader of the men laughed. “So you can make a run for it? Do you think I’m that stupid?”

Morgana grinned. “I think you’re very stupid.” 

At that moment, Gwen grabbed the sword from the leader’s belt. Morgana elbowed him in the face and caught the sword as Gwen tossed it to her. They fought off some of the other men and once they were down, took off running. 

Several yards down the path, Guinevere cried out and suddenly collapsed. Morgana stopped and immediately tried to help Gwen back up. “Put your arm around my shoulder, come on.”

Gwen shook her head, knowing that it was no use. “No, no, ‘Gana, I can’t. You’ll have to go on without me.”

Morgana tried desperately to pull Gwen up. “No! I’m not leaving you behind! If they find you—” She trailed off, unable to say it out loud. Gwen was of no use to them, they would probably kill her.

Gwen was persistent, however. “I’ll be fine, but you have to get help, Morgana. We could both die if we stay, I won’t let you get hurt because of me.” She gripped Morgana’s hand tightly in reassurance.

Frantically looking back and forth down the path, Morgana debated the amount of time they had before they were caught. Finally accepting that this was the only way, she swallowed and held out the sword to Gwen. “Here, at least take this. Maybe you can fight them off.”

Taking the sword, Gwen nodded. “Now go!”

Morgana took off running, sparing a look back every few seconds, especially once she heard the clash of swords. She had to keep going though. She tripped over several roots and got scratched by tree branches along the way, but she didn’t stop. 

She had been running for nearly an hour when she finally heard someone else in the woods. Momentarily frozen from fear, she hid behind a tree. But then she heard it in the distance-- Arthur’s voice. She stepped out from behind the tree, ready to go find him, but a strong hand grabbed her from behind and clamped over her mouth.

Foul breath filled her nose as the man behind her spoke. “Now what’s a pretty young thing like you doing out in the woods? And only in her slip, too.” He made a clicking noise with his tongue in a disapproving manner.

Morgana struggled hard against him. Arthur was so close, if she could just get free…

“It’d be nice to have a woman around, now wouldn’t it, boys?”

Morgana could hear the murmur of consent from several other men and she knew there was no way she could fight all of them. She tried to bite at the man’s hand, but she couldn’t get at the right angle.

Laughing at her struggle, the man brought up a sword from his belt. “This will keep you quiet.” He used the hilt of the sword to hit her across the head, causing her to go unconscious.

The last thing Morgana heard as she drifted off was the sound of Arthur’s voice, commanding his party to head in the opposite direction.

\---

Once darkness fell, Arthur eventually had to return to Camelot, after hours of scouring the woods. His men were exhausted, and they hadn’t caught a trace of Morgana. Feeling defeated, Arthur headed home. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom, so maybe that would be the best way to get Morgana home now.

The stone walls of Camelot became visible over the trees, and Arthur felt a tug in his heart. Usually Morgana would be waiting there, looking out her window, awaiting his return. But not this time. He couldn’t help but feel guilty.

As expected, when Arthur explained the situation, Uther was furious.

Arthur swallowed and continued to explain. “They are demanding a ransom; perhaps we can get Morgana back without any bloodshed.”

Uther’s anger seemed to be subsiding and he nodded in agreement. “I will do whatever it takes to bring her safely home. Get together the required ransom and take a team to retrieve Morgana.”

“Yes, father.” Arthur ducked out of the hall and headed to his room to prepare. He would not be able to sleep tonight, not until Morgana was safe.

\---

When Morgana awoke, she was lying on the cold floor of a ten by ten cell. She banged her fist against the ground in frustration. She couldn’t believe that she escaped one evil man just to be captured by another.

A noise outside of her cell caught her attention and she stood up and dusted herself off. Her door soon swung open to reveal her captor.

“Good, you’re awake.” The man gestured for two of his cronies to enter the cell.

The men grabbed Morgana’s arms and forced them behind her back so that they could place shackles on her wrists.

Morgana squirmed against them and stomped on one of their feet for good measure. “What do you want with me?”

Her captor smiled. “I won’t harm you. I simply procure unique items to sell to people far wealthier than I; and you my dear, will fetch a pretty penny, I am sure.”

The men tugged her roughly out of the cell and corralled her out into a bustling room, filled with people and different items. Morgana looked around and found that there were horses, shields, vases, and hundreds of other items being appraised for sale. She felt a lump in her throat as she realized that soon she would likely be sold as well, and who knows what kind of person would purchase a woman at a place like this.

The man who captured her brought her up to an older, slightly portly man behind a desk. “I have an item for auction.” He showed his disgusting teeth in a grin as he shoved Morgana forward.

Morgana thrashed against her restraints. “I am not some animal you can barter, this is madness!”

The large man behind the desk seemed impressed by her temper. “An animal you are not. But you will still make someone a very happy customer.” He turned to her captor. “Bring her in two days for the auction. You will get your cut of the money once the item has been sold.”

Morgana scoffed indignantly. “Item?”

The men ignored her and soon she was being dragged off back to her cell. As she rounded a corner, something caught her eye, however. A man dressed in armor was in the midst of the chaos in the room, and though she could only see the back of his head, she couldn’t shake the feeling the he looked familiar. He turned slowly and she caught his eye. Upon seeing his face, the memory washed over her. Under her breath, she murmured, “Lancelot?” 

Recognition seemed to spark in his eyes as well, but before he could speak, Morgana was tugged out of view. She was thrown roughly back into her cell; the only comfort being that they removed the shackles. Huffing in annoyance, Morgana slumped against the wall, praying that Arthur would find her soon.

\---

As soon as dawn broke the next morning, Arthur had his men ready and took off for Mercia on the rescue mission. Even Merlin seemed to know the importance of what they were doing, since he hadn’t complained once about being woken up so early.

Merlin kept eyeing Arthur as they rode, assessing his mood. After riding in silence for a long time, Merlin finally spoke up. “We will get her back, Arthur.”

Arthur’s head snapped quickly to the side, his attention now on Merlin instead of the path. “I know that.” He sounded certain, but Merlin knew better.

Merlin continued, hoping to get Arthur to open up. “She’s going to be fine. It’s Morgana, she’s strong.”

“Yes, Merlin, I know.” From his tone, it was clear that Arthur didn’t want to talk about this.

Merlin held back a sigh. “You just, you seem worried.”

His reply was automatic, “I’m not worried.”

“Arthur—”

Arthur cut him off abruptly, “What do you want me to say, Merlin? That I’m terrified that something will happen to her? That I feel guilty because I should’ve been there to protect her?” 

Merlin started, “No, I…”

Arthur shook his head, looking defeated. “My whole life, she’s always been there. I don’t know what I’ll do if one day she isn’t anymore.”

“We will find her.”

Arthur nodded stiffly in response. Pushing his fear back down, he spurred his horse to go faster, willing them to reach Morgana as quickly as possible.

\---

Morgana was cold, tired, and hungry. The slice of stale bread that had been shoved under her door was nauseating to look at, let alone eat, and they hadn’t given her a dress or even a blanket that she could use to cover up. She was growing quite tired of being stuck there, but the bars were too thick to break and the window too small to climb through. She only had one option left, but she doubted very much that it would work.

Merlin had been teaching her some spells, trying to help her channel her magic, but she was still so green. She could barely light a candle, let alone cause the door of her cell to burst open. However, she had to try. She wasn’t about to let some man auction her off like cattle, after all.

Closing her eyes, she held her hand out towards the door. The spells were all confusing, but she tried her best to think of something that would work. She concentrated all her energy on the door and took a deep breath. She mumbled the words under her breath and let the magic fill her up, hoping for the best.

She was sorely disappointed when she opened her eyes to see that the door hadn’t moved an inch. Sighing deeply, she mustered up her strength and started to try again.

\---

After traveling for miles, including an unpleasant trip through some caves, Arthur and his men finally reached Mercia, the location where the men claimed to be holding Morgana hostage. Upon reaching the gates of the city, Arthur raised the bag of gold as his identification. “We’re here to collect the Lady Morgana.”

The men began to step aside, but stilled in their movements once they saw all the men accompanying Arthur. One of the guards spoke up, “Your knights will have to stay here. For security reasons, of course.”

Arthur and Merlin exchanged a look, but they both continued on without the rest of their company. They were escorted to a decrepit looking building, where they were ushered inside and told to wait.

After several minutes of waiting, during which Arthur looked ready to explode, three large men entered the room, with a girl held in between two of them. The girl had a sack hanging over her head, but she was wearing a gown fit for a princess. Arthur sucked in an audible breath. That was Morgana’s dress.

Merlin could see the relief all over Arthur’s face and he smiled in return.

Arthur stepped forward, displaying the bag. “The king has supplied the required ransom. I ask that you would now return the Lady Morgana to our care.”

The third man grinned. “Of course. But, payment first.” He held out his hand in expectation.

Arthur reluctantly handed over the bag, his eyes never looking away from Morgana.

Once the man had his prize, he waved a hand, and the girl was shoved forward.

The girl collided with Arthur’s chest and he wrapped a protective arm around her back. With his other hand, he went to remove the sack from her head. “You’re safe now, Mor—” He stopped as the sack was taken away to reveal a very different girl than he expected. “Guinevere?”

Gwen looked both relieved and worried. After seeing the look on Arthur’s face, she realized that she wasn’t being rescued due to Morgana successfully escaping and getting help.

Arthur tightened his arm around Guinevere and carefully maneuvered her behind him. Despite his fury at being tricked, he still cared for Gwen and didn’t want to see her hurt. He turned back to the men with fire in his eyes. “Where is the Lady Morgana?”

The man who had taken the ransom started laughing. “You’re holding her, boy. Or have you forgotten what she looks like?”

Arthur ground his teeth together. “If this is a ploy to get more money, I swear to you—” He stopped at the feeling of Guinevere tugging on his arm.

She spoke quietly in his ear, “Arthur, Morgana isn’t here. She escaped in the woods. They truly think I _am_ the Lady Morgana.”

Arthur ducked his head to look at her. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she wasn’t lying. Wherever Morgana was, it wasn’t here. Fighting against the rage building up inside him, Arthur decided that it wasn’t worth it to cause any more problems. He wanted to demand for the ransom money back, but he had no back up, and it could put Gwen in danger. Besides, they still had to find Morgana. He bowed his head and took a step back from the men. “We will be taking our leave now.”

One of the men grinned and replied, “Best keep a closer eye on your girl from now on.”

Gwen quickly pulled Arthur out of the building before he could change his mind and start a fight. As they walked back towards the gates and the waiting knights, she asked, “You never found Morgana, did you?”

Arthur didn’t reply. He simply sped up their pace, more determined than ever to find Morgana and bring her home.

\---

Morgana had been trying to escape her cell for hours, only stopping when she heard voices in the hall. She had tried everything she knew, and still nothing was working. She was utterly exhausted, and completely drained of magical ability for the time being. It was unlikely that she could even float a feather at this point.

She slowly curled up in a ball, resigning herself to her fate. As she tried to drift off to sleep, she could’ve sworn she heard her name being called. She had purposefully avoided telling anyone her name, knowing that it would only encourage the men in their quest to sell her for money if they knew she was the king’s ward. Waving off the incident as her sleep-deprived brain playing tricks, she closed her eyes again. Yet only a minute later, she heard it again, this time louder.

“Lady Morgana?”

Morgana stood up and looked around, certain now that someone was calling her name. “Hello?”

The voice replied, “Here.”

Morgana spun around, realizing it was coming from the window. She walked up to the window and tried to see who was out there. “How do you know my name?”

The voice chuckled. “You’re not an easy one to forget, my lady.”

Standing on her tiptoes, Morgana caught sight of dark black hair and copper-colored skin. “Lancelot.” She grinned. “It was you.”

The former knight nodded. “I wasn’t sure when I saw you, but I had to find out.” He scanned the inside of her cell with distaste. “Are you alright?”

The grin she had been wearing disappeared. “I’m fine, but they’re planning to sell me off.”

“I figured. This isn’t a good place for a girl like you.”

She made a noise of agreement. She started to ask if he could help her escape, but then a thought occurred to her. “Wait, Lancelot, what are you doing here? Like you said, this isn’t a good place.”

His face looked grim, as if he had the weight of the world on him. “I said for a girl like you. It’s different for me.”

“But, you were a knight.” She bit her tongue, remembering how Uther had taken that title from him.

He let out a dry, humorless laugh. “I was. But now I’m just a sellsword, offering up my services to whoever will have me.”

Morgana realized that he was selling himself at the auction. This man who had slain a Griffin and saved all of Camelot once. She wished she could comfort him in some way, but they had more pressing matters to attend to, so she stowed her comments. “Lancelot, I know it is a lot to ask, but I know that noble knight is still in there. If there is any chance you can get me out of this horrible place…” She trailed off expectantly.

“I will do everything in my power, my lady. But even if I get you out of that cell, it will not be easy to escape.”

Morgana extended a hand to the window, placing her fingers between the bars so that they rested on the hand he had set there. “Anything you can do will be more than enough.”

Lancelot laughed. “You have too much faith in me, Lady Morgana. I am only one man.”

A thought suddenly occurred to her. “Then we will need more men.”

He looked at her quizzically. “But where…”

“Lancelot, I need you to ride to Camelot.”

While he didn’t like the idea of going back there, he knew it was their best option. “You want me to get Arthur.” He pulled his hand back and made to stand up. “I’ll be back with help as soon as I can.”

Morgana smiled brightly, feeling hope for the first time since she had been captured.

\---

Arthur returned to Camelot with a heavy heart. He was happy that he was able to rescue Guinevere, but he had no clues as to where Morgana was, and he wasn’t getting any closer to finding her. He also knew that he would have to face his father, who undoubtedly would be furious that his gold had been spent to retrieve a servant.

As they reached the city, he turned to look at Guinevere from where she sat on a horse with one of the knights. She must have felt his gaze, because she turned and gave him a warm smile. He felt a surge of pride in his chest suddenly, and knew that despite what his father may say, he had made the right decision. Morgana would be proud of him for bringing Gwen home; that much he knew, and for now, that was enough.

Once they reached the courtyard of the castle, Arthur was surprised to see his father already waiting for him. With him was another man, one quite familiar. Arthur dismounted his horse and walked up to greet his father, noticing that the other man with him had now moved down to where the knights were standing. From the corner of his eye, he could see the man help Guinevere down from her horse. A noise of shock could be heard as she registered the stranger’s presence. 

She called out happily, “Lancelot!” Arthur smiled at the sound.

The prince turned back to his father, allowing Guinevere to have her moment. Before Arthur could speak, Uther began to explain.

“Arthur, I have just been informed that Morgana is being held captive beyond our borders, and not by the men who we expected.” He looked over at Guinevere, the displeasure evident on his face. “This Lancelot claims that he has seen her, and can lead you to her whereabouts.”

Arthur turned to look over at where Guinevere was currently embracing Lancelot. He was pleased that they now knew where to search for Morgana, but he could feel his father’s glare on his back. This would not be a failure soon forgotten. He glanced at his father and nodded solemnly, a silent communication to relay that he would bring Morgana home as soon as possible. Without further discussion, Arthur walked down to meet Lancelot.

Upon seeing Arthur approach, Lancelot stepped away from Gwen. “Arthur, it is good to see you again.”

Arthur smiled, happy to see his old friend no matter the circumstances. “You as well, Lancelot. I hear that you have seen the Lady Morgana on your travels?”

“I have, sire. She is being held captive in Essetir, by men who plan to sell her for auction.”

The twitch in Arthur’s jaw was visible by everyone watching as he clenched his teeth. The thought of Morgana being sold off was enough to send him into a rage. He nodded stiffly, trying desperately to regain control. “I will give my men time enough to regain their strength, and then we will ride out. You will show us the way?”

“Of course,” Lancelot replied.

The prince smiled at his former knight and reached out his hand to shake the other man’s. “Thank you, Lancelot. I don’t know how to repay you.”

Lancelot extended his arm in response and they grasped each other’s forearms. “Thank me once the Lady Morgana is safe, sire.”

Arthur released his grip and let his arm fall back to his side. Fighting against the lump forming in his throat for what seemed like the hundredth time in two days, he responded, “Be ready to leave soon.” Without another word, he left his men and hurried into the castle, ignoring the beaming smile he could see on Guinevere’s face out of the corner of his eye. Morgana was all that mattered now.

\---

Merlin followed Arthur up to his chambers and found the prince pacing the room. “Arthur.”

Arthur stilled in his movements at the sound of his name, but quickly resumed his earlier activity upon seeing that it was only Merlin.

Merlin sighed. “You really should get some rest. If you’re to rescue Morgana—”

“I can’t rest until we find her.”

The determination in his voice caused Merlin to stop short. He knew that Arthur cared for his father’s ward, but he hadn’t slept since Morgana first went missing. It was futile to try and convince Arthur to do anything he didn’t want, of course, so Merlin tried a different tactic. “At least let me prepare a bath for you. We have a while before the knights will be ready to leave.” He left out that he hoped that the bath would relax Arthur; an exhausted prince would be no help to Morgana.

Arthur shook his head. “No.”

“Arthur, please.”

He ignored his servant’s plea, his mind swimming with thoughts of black curls swirling through the air and green eyes glaring at him. He was going to get Morgana back even if it killed him.

\---

Morgana watched as the sun rose and spilled light across the walls of her cell. She had been dreading this moment. It had been two days since she arrived at this horrible place, and any moment now she was going to be taken out of this cell and sold off to the highest bidder. She knew that Lancelot was bringing help, but part of her feared that they wouldn’t reach her in time.

She sat there listening, praying that she’d hear Arthur and not her captors. After several more minutes of waiting, she heard footsteps, accompanied by the gruff voice of the man who had taken her hostage. She’d have to wait a little longer for rescue, it seemed.

The men opened her cell and in a moment of insanity, Morgana rushed them. She tried to escape into the hall, but they caught her around the waist and held tight. She was quickly overpowered, and the men simply laughed at her as she struggled.

“Sorry sweetheart, but you’re not getting away that easily.” The leader of the men grabbed her face in his hand and grinned down at her. “Today’s the big day.”

They shackled her wrists again and led her down the hall to the main room she had seen when she first arrived. This time there was a stage set up at the front of the room and several large men stood guard at all of the entrances. It was as busy as before, this time filled with both people there to sell and to purchase items. Morgana had to suppress a shiver of disgust at the thought. One of these men would be purchasing _her_. 

The men led Morgana over to a long line leading up to the stage. She watched as people brought their items up to be sold. A man standing on the stage would ask for bids, and people in the crowd would scramble to the front, yelling out prices one after the other. When the man on the stage was satisfied with the price, he would declare the item sold and give it to the buyer. Occasionally she saw men start fights over an item, causing one of the guards to come and drag both parties out of the room. It was pure pandemonium, and she suddenly found herself quite afraid. 

As she grew closer to the stage, she started frantically searching the crowd for anyone familiar. If Arthur couldn’t get here in time, perhaps she could find someone friendly to buy her. It was highly unlikely, but she couldn’t give up yet. She was suddenly jolted out her thoughts by her captor as he shoved her forward. It was her turn, and she stepped reluctantly onto the stage.

The auctioneer called out, “The next item! This lovely young lady here. She is young, strong, and though she may not have the hands for work, I’m sure you could find some other uses for her.” 

The laughter that ensued made Morgana feel sick to her stomach. She started to writhe violently, fighting against her bonds.

The auctioneer noticed and smiled. “She’s a fighter, folks.”

Morgana had heard quite enough, and spat out, “Yes, I am. I’m good with a sword too, and I guarantee if you purchase me you’ll find your throat cut before the next morning!” The resulting backhand to her face sent pain radiating throughout her jaw, and she dropped to her knees.

Her captor glared down at her, and through clenched teeth, murmured, “You’d do best to hold your tongue.”

One of the guards yanked her back up to her feet and the bidding started. Disgusting, slovenly men all clamored to buy her, but thankfully the man in charge thought she was worth something more, because none of the bids were high enough yet. Slowly, the number of men trying to buy her dwindled down, and it came to a small group of men fighting back and forth. Just as she was about to accept the fact that she would be going home with one of these idiots, a loud crash from the back of the room caught everyone’s attention and caused the bidding to come to a halt.

A group of men in chainmail entered the room and caused Morgana to sigh in relief. Even though she couldn’t see their faces clearly, she could hear as one of them announced, “I believe that woman belongs to us.”

Morgana grinned widely and pushed her way to the front of the stage so that she could see.

The auctioneer let out a laugh. “She belongs to the highest bidder.”

Under her breath, Morgana grumbled, “I belong to no one, thank you.” Though, if she had to choose at this point, the knights could gladly claim her.

Arthur stepped forward through the crowd. “This lady is a citizen of Camelot, and by order of the King, we are to take her home.” He maintained his prince-like composure throughout his proclamation, but he kept sneaking glances over at Morgana every few seconds with worry in his eyes.

Her captor suddenly joined in, sneering, “Well, seeing as Essetir is under the control of King Cenred, you and your king have no power here.”

Arthur shared a look with Lancelot before shrugging. “Guess we’ll just have to take her by force then, boys.”

Morgana couldn’t help but smile at the looks of fear on her kidnappers faces. “They are the best knights in all the land, you know,” she quipped.

Upon hearing that, Arthur smiled brightly. With a yell, he and the knights charged, easily clearing out the room as all the men scattered, taking their wares with them as they fled. The guards joined in the fight, and the knights began to attack.

Morgana watched as her captor began to sneak off the stage. She blocked his path, ready to start in on him and kick him to death if necessary. “Release me from these bonds, or I will personally ask the knights to run you through.” She held out her shackled wrists, smiling sweetly at him.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, scrounging for the key. He got it out and fumbled with it a bit before unlocking her shackles. “You stupid bitch, you weren’t worth the trouble.”

Morgana glared at him. With her now freed hands, she clenched one into a fist and punched him hard on the jaw, knocking him to the floor.

Arthur found Lancelot in the fray and grabbed the man to get his attention. “Get Morgana out of here. You know the exits better than I do; take her and escape while you can.”

Lancelot nodded and took off towards the stage as Arthur continued to fight. Lancelot found Morgana as she was jumping down from the stage. “My lady.” He took her by the hand. “We need to get you somewhere safe.”

Morgana looked from Lancelot over to where Arthur was fighting. “We can’t leave them!” She watched as Arthur flipped one man over his back and used his sword to stab another.

Lancelot saw it as well and chuckled. “They’ll be fine.”

She hesitated for a moment before agreeing and following Lancelot as he led her out of the room. They ducked down a hallway and carefully made their way to a door. It was surprisingly easy, since they could blend in with the countless others trying to escape as well. As they left the building, Lancelot led her out to the edge of town, where they made their way along the outskirts until they came to a clearing. The knights’ horses were tied there, along with Merlin who had been left there as a guard. From the look on his face, this had not been his decision.

“Merlin!” Morgana called out to him, so happy to see her friend again.

Merlin’s face split into a grin as he saw Morgana and Lancelot approaching. He ran up to meet them, corralling them back to the make-shift camp.

While they waited for Arthur to return, Merlin discussed everything that Morgana had missed in Camelot while she was away. He gave her some fresh bread and clean water to drink and wrapped her in a blanket to keep her warm. Lancelot stood watch while they talked, keeping an eye out for anyone coming, whether they were friend or foe.

After waiting for nearly half an hour, red cloaks could be seen on the horizon as Arthur and the knights made their way over the ridge. Arthur immediately was drawn to Morgana as if she was the only person there.

She stood up from where she was sitting, letting the blanket around her shoulders fall to the ground.

Arthur took her in, counting every scratch, bruise, and hair out of place. He noticed that she was only in her tattered under-dress, and he drew in a breath. Without missing a beat, he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, buckling it in the front.

Morgana smiled at him and whispered, “My champion.” She lifted a hand and stroked his cheek with two of her knuckles, curling her fingers in as she touched him.

Merlin cleared his throat and broke the spell between them. “We should probably be heading back to Camelot.”

Arthur glared at him, but nodded in agreement. The knights all mounted their horses and Arthur carefully lifted Morgana up to sit on the front of his horse before getting on behind her. 

Morgana leaned back against Arthur, savoring the warmth his body provided. Once they started on their journey, she murmured, “I heard what you did for Gwen.”

Arthur could barely hear her over the noise of the horses, but he understood that it was meant only for him. He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I couldn’t exactly leave her there.”

She tilted her head back to look at him. “Well, still. It means a lot that you brought her home. Thank you for that.”

Smiling down at her, he replied, “You’re welcome.”

She lowered her head and gazed at the path ahead. “I’m sure Uther wasn’t happy about you spending his money to save my maid.”

Arthur chuckled, the vibrations shaking through both of them. “He didn’t really have a chance to get angry yet, he was too worried about you. I’m sure I’ll hear all of it when we get back.”

Morgana smiled to herself at the thought. “I’ll try to play up how gallant you were today, maybe he’ll forget all about it.” Unable to hold it in, she yawned, finally feeling the weight of the exhaustion she had accrued from this escapade. 

Arthur felt her yawn and smiled to himself. “Why don’t you rest for a while? I promise I won’t let you fall off.”

She turned her head and smirked up at him. “Arthur, if I end up in a stream somewhere…”

“I’m serious!” He laughed lightly, feeling better than he had in days.

“Alright.” Turning around, she conceded and laid her head against his chest. She fell asleep in moments, comfortable resting now that she was safe.

Arthur wound an arm around her waist, holding her steady. They rode the rest of the way to Camelot like that, Morgana sleeping peacefully and Arthur diligently watching over her.

\---

When Morgana woke up, she was in her own bed, with Guinevere sitting beside her. She couldn’t control the smile that appeared; she was overjoyed to see her friend again. “Gwen!” Sitting up, she threw her arms around the other girl’s neck.

Gwen returned the hug tightly. She had been so worried, and it was relief to have her mistress safe. “I’m so glad that you’re safe.”

Morgana pulled back from the hug, the smile still firmly in place. “You too.”

Ducking her head, Gwen joked, “Maybe we should take Arthur with us on all our adventures from now on.” She nudged Morgana’s shoulder playfully.

Morgana made a noise of agreement, laughing with her friend. She smoothed her covers down with her hand, savoring the feeling of the material under her fingers. After a moment, she asked, “Gwen, how exactly did I get up here?” The last thing she remembered was riding back to Camelot, had she forgotten coming up to her bed?

Gwen laughed, knowing that Morgana probably wouldn’t be happy with the answer. “Oh, Arthur carried you.” Upon seeing Morgana’s eyes widen, she continued, “It was quite adorable, really. You didn’t want to let him leave; we had to pry your arms off of his neck.”

Morgana pulled a blanket up and buried her face in it. Mumbling through the fabric, she uttered, “I’ll never live it down, will I?”

Gwen reached out and tugged the blanket away from Morgana’s face. “It’s fine. It was sweet. He was so concerned about you.”

She quirked an eyebrow at that. “You could tell?”

Gwen shook her head. “You two are so dense sometimes.”

Morgana huffed, not appreciating the insinuation, and she decided to change the subject. “What about Lancelot? Have you seen him?” She knew all about Gwen’s feelings for the man, and she hoped that this time they could be happy. As she watched Gwen’s face fall, she knew that would probably not be the case.

“He left. He said that his place wasn’t here now, but maybe someday he’d come back…”

“Oh, Gwen.” Morgana sighed. “I’m sorry. I wish he’d stayed a bit longer. I never even got to thank him.”

Gwen stared down at the bed, trying not to let it affect her. “It’s alright. He helped get you home, and that’s all that matters.”

Morgana reached over to squeeze Gwen’s hand. In an effort to cheer her friend up, she came up with an idea. “Feel like sneaking down to the kitchens to see what leftover desserts we can steal?”

Gwen looked up slowly and nodded.

Both girls burst into a round of raucous laughter as they grabbed cloaks to cover up and prepared for their venture. The previous days seemed to vanish from Morgana’s memory and she smiled to herself. It was good to be back home.


	5. Beauty and the Beast

For weeks after Morgana’s brief disappearance, Uther practically smothered his ward. He constantly needed to know where she was and who she was with, and he insisted on dining with her for every meal. Therefore, when Lady Catrina arrived in Camelot, Morgana was thrilled to have someone else to steal Uther’s attention. Arthur, however, didn’t seem to feel the same way.

They all dined together after Lady Catrina arrived, and Arthur’s faces throughout the dinner made it very clear that he was disturbed by the thought of his father flirting with a woman.

Morgana smiled to herself and tried not to laugh at Arthur. Personally, she found it cute that Uther liked Catrina. He could use a companion in his life; maybe it would soften him some.

After nearly gagging at his father’s displays of affection, Arthur put on a show of yawning loudly, though he was clearly not tired. He made up some excuse about a hard day’s training and excused himself for the night.

Morgana resisted rolling her eyes and rose from the table. “I should retire as well.” Uther bid her goodnight and she followed after Arthur, finding him out in the hall.

He was heading to his chambers and Morgana caught him by the arm. She fell in step beside him, walking along with him to their rooms.

She smirked over at him as they walked. “Who knew Uther was such a charmer. He and the Lady Catrina seem to quite like each other.”

Arthur turned and glared at her. “It’s disgusting if you ask me.”

“Oh, I could tell. You’re not very subtle.” She chuckled to herself.

“He’s just… he’s so old, it’s not proper.”

Morgana scoffed. “Come now, Arthur. Are you so against people finding companionship?”

He kept his gaze trained on the floor ahead of him and mumbled, “If it’s my father, then yes.”

She shoved his arm playfully. “Arthur Pendragon, you are ridiculous. I think the Lady Catrina is lovely, and if she makes him happy, what’s wrong with that?”

Arthur sighed, realizing that she was right. “Fine, but I still don’t have to enjoy watching my father try to flirt with her.”

“I suppose that’s acceptable. I’m sure he feels the same way about you, you know.”

They reached Arthur’s door first, and Morgana stopped there with him. Arthur turned to her and smirked. “Give me some credit; I don’t flirt with women in front of his face. It’s different.”

Morgana couldn’t help but think of all the times Arthur had harassed one of the maids at dinner, or drank too much wine and leered at her during feasts, but she held her tongue. “Right. Well, I guess I’ll let you get some rest. Since you seemed so exhausted at dinner and all.”

Arthur smiled at her. “Shut up, Morgana.”

She let out an airy laugh. “Goodnight.” She brushed her hand lightly down his arm in a leaving gesture.

His arm tingled from her touch and his smiled widened. “Goodnight, Morgana.”

\---

Arthur spotted Morgana walking through the castle with Guinevere and ran to catch up with her. “You will never believe what I caught Merlin doing.”

Morgana paused in her conversation with Gwen and looked over at him. “And what was that?”

“He was spying on the Lady Catrina.” He looked somewhat giddy at the thought of catching Merlin doing something wrong.

Gwen couldn’t help but overhear and piped up, “What?”

“He was hanging a mirror out of my bedroom window trying to see into her room. I mean, I knew the boy was a bit deprived of female attention, but really.” Arthur shook his head in disapproval.

Gwen sighed. “Oh, Merlin.”

Morgana found it all quite funny and couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sure it’s not what it seems, Arthur. I mean, we’ve had plenty of women stay with us, Merlin has never spied on them.”

Raising a finger to point at her, Arthur countered, “That we know of.”

“Well, maybe I’ll talk to him, sort all this out.” Looping her arm through Gwen’s, Morgana started heading back down the hall, leaving Arthur to trail behind.

Arthur called out, “Just don’t turn your back on him!”

\---

Morgana was unable to have that conversation with Merlin, for he seemed to be constantly busy for the next few days. She brushed it off, assuming it was just Arthur keeping him working all the time to stop him from spying. 

She had quite enjoyed having some time to herself without Uther hovering, but she wasn’t expecting it to be permanent. Therefore, when he called everyone in for an announcement, she was quite surprised to hear what he had to say.

“The Lady Catrina and I are to be married.”

Morgana and Gwen shared equal looks of shock. Glancing over at Arthur, Morgana could tell that he was surprised as well.

Lady Catrina whispered something in the King’s ear and he straightened and addressed the room once more. “The Lady Catrina and I are to be married, tomorrow.”

Confusion seemed to sweep through the whole room. Morgana tried to catch Arthur’s eye, but he was too focused on his father.

Uther excused everyone from the Great Hall, causing a mass exodus of people whispering and murmuring concerns about the upcoming nuptials.

Morgana called out to Arthur and tried to catch up with him, but he ignored her pleas. She eventually gave up and watched as he vanished into a group of people. Sighing, Morgana went back to where she left Gwen.

The maid grabbed Morgana’s hand and squeezed it as they left the hall.

\---

The day of the wedding was a busy one for everyone in the castle. Gwen helped Morgana to get ready, but surprisingly, Arthur had to find someone else to help him, as Merlin was nowhere to be found. 

Arthur escorted his father into the Great Hall to start the ceremony, looking much happier than he had the day before.

Morgana bowed as they passed, smiling at Arthur. The prince came and took his place beside her in the front row as they all waited for the arrival of Lady Catrina. Morgana nudged him to get his attention. She mouthed, “Are you okay?”

He nodded in return, a smile on his lips.

Everyone watched as the Lady Catrina made her way up to the front of the hall to stand with Uther. Morgana moved forward to help with the long skirts of the Lady’s dress before moving back to stand with Arthur.

Morgana murmured wistfully, “She looks beautiful.”

Arthur whispered, “Not as good as you, though.”

The statement took Morgana aback and she turned her head to stare at him. Arthur, however, continued to look straight ahead at the procession as if it didn’t even matter. Morgana eventually managed to get control over herself and watched quietly for the rest of the ceremony.

\---

After the wedding, there was a feast in honor of the King and his new bride. It went on for hours, and everyone was enjoying drinking and celebrating. Arthur eventually grew bored with all the mindless chatter and found Morgana off in the corner with some of the knights. She had already finished several glasses of wine and was laughing with the men, unaware of the way several of them were staring at her. Arthur grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away, excusing himself to the knights.

Morgana was quite indignant over being manhandled, and yanked her arm back. “Arthur, what do you think you’re doing?”

Arthur just grinned at her. “Come on.”

With a huff, she reluctantly followed him out into the hall. They made their way back to his chambers, and upon reaching them, Morgana became nervous. “Arthur, what are we—”

He drew a wine bottle out from under his cloak, effectively shutting her up. “I thought we’d have some fun on our own. It was getting quite dull in there.”

She shook her head at him, laughing. “Fine. You’re more interesting than most of our guests, I suppose.”

They slipped into his chambers, shutting out the rest of the world. Morgana snatched the bottle from his hands and took a long swig from it, pulling it away to reveal a giddy look on her face. “God, how long has it been since we did this?”

Arthur laughed lightly, enraptured by her happiness. “It’s been a long time.”

She made a humming noise in the back of her throat, agreeing with him. “So, how does it feel, having a new queen around?”

Arthur took the bottle back and drank deeply from it. He wiped his mouth with his jacket sleeve as he finished. “Not that different, I suppose.”

Morgana kicked off her shoes and began to tiptoe around the room, surveying all of Arthur’s things. “It’s not strange that Uther is with someone other than your mother?” The wine in her system was emboldening her to ask such questions, her mind blissfully unaware of the risks.

Arthur followed Morgana’s example and pulled off his jacket, resting it over the back of his chair. “I never had the chance to see them married, so I guess it’s… it is strange, but I don’t know why, really.” He took another sip from the bottle before setting it down on the table.

Nodding in understanding, Morgana crossed the room to stand next to Arthur. “You miss her.” She pulled the bottle away from his reaching fingers, forcing him to pay attention to her instead of the wine.

He laughed bitterly, a low and harsh sound. “How can you miss someone you never met?”

Morgana shrugged, taking a drink from the bottle. She kept a hold on it as she set it back down. “You just do, I guess.”

Arthur cocked his head at her. He was accustomed to Morgana spouting philosophical bits of wisdom and whatnot. But he could tell by the sorrow in her eyes that she understood; she just didn’t have the answers this time. He went to grab the bottle back from her, but felt her hand rest on top of his to stop him.

She smiled softly at him and tugged him away from the table by his hand. She pulled him to the window and pushed it open, filling the room with the sounds of the ongoing party below. Music wafted through the window, making Morgana smile wider. “Let’s dance.”

“Morgana…” Arthur shook his head, trying to resist.

She placed one of his hands on her waist, encouraging him. “Come on.” She threw her arms around his neck when he continued to hesitate. “Please!” she pleaded, her words melting into laughter soon after.

Arthur gave in and swayed with her, setting his other hand on her back. “At least now you won’t step on my feet like you did as a child.”

Morgana laughed louder at the rush of memories. “Oh, that was always on purpose, you knew that.”

He scowled, but it was all in fun, the wine coursing through his veins and lightening his mood.

With a hint of a smirk, Morgana lifted up one foot at a time and placed them on top of Arthur’s boots. “There, now I can’t hurt you.”

He laughed and started to spin around the room, carrying Morgana on his feet. Morgana swooped up the wine as she passed, giggling and drinking even more. 

Eventually they reached his bed, where they both collapsed, laughing at their childish behavior. Arthur rolled over onto his back and Morgana on her stomach, both feeling the effects of the alcohol by now. Arthur took the bottle from her hands, saving his bedcovers from any spills. He finished off the bottle, letting it fall to the floor.

Morgana began to trace invisible pictures onto the quilt with her fingers. She wondered aloud, “Do you ever think about getting married?”

Arthur tilted his head to look at her, contemplating her question. “Sometimes.”

She sighed. “As a child I always thought it’d be something grand and romantic. But now, it’ll probably just be something Uther arranged with an old baron to get more land.”

“Never gonna happen.”

Morgana rolled onto her side, propping her elbow up on the bed to support her head. “You sound so sure.” Shaking her head, she continued, “We both know you’ll end up married to some princess, and I’ll get shipped off to the highest bidder.”

Arthur chuckled low in his throat. “I won’t let it happen. I’ll do what I must to keep you around, annoying as you are, and then when I’m king you’ll be free to marry whomever you like.”

“And what if you aren’t king until I’m old and grey? Shall I be a maiden forever?”

He laughed, louder this time. “Knowing you, Morgana, I’m sure we’d find some way around it.”

She smiled at him sweetly, feeling safe in his promise. Her mind fluttered over the thought of getting married, but for some reason all she could picture was Arthur at the end of the aisle. Blaming the alcohol for clouding her mind, she flipped over onto her back and stared up for a while.

They both laid there in silence, tracing patterns on the ceiling until sleep consumed them both.

\---

The next morning, Arthur and Morgana were discovered by Guinevere, who had been frantically searching the castle for her mistress. The pair were found sleeping on top of the covers, with half of Arthur’s body stretched over the edges of the bed and Morgana curled up against the pillows. Gwen shook Morgana to wake her up, trying not to read too much into the situation.

Morgana groggily opened her eyes and surveyed the room. She looked up into Gwen’s disapproving face and tried to smile. “I swear this isn’t as bad as it looks.”

Gwen just shook her head and helped Morgana up. “We should go get you a bath.”

Morgana nodded, glancing back to look at Arthur. “I’ll just let him sleep it off.”

Gwen’s eyes were drawn over to Arthur’s sleeping figure and Morgana could’ve sworn she saw a flash of something there—hurt, jealousy even—but she ignored it.

The two girls quietly exited the room, only to run into Leon outside.

“My lady.” He bowed to Morgana before hurrying into Arthur’s room. 

Morgana and Gwen shared a look before continuing on their way.

\---

Arthur was informed by Leon that Merlin was to be arrested for crimes against the Queen. He put on a good show of sending out groups of the knights to find Merlin, but he wasn’t truly planning on capturing his manservant. He snuck back to his rooms on the first opportunity and found Merlin working there.

“You have to leave.”

Merlin stopped changing the sheets and looked quite confused at the order. “What?”

Arthur corralled the boy away from his bed, trying to get him to the servant door. “You have been accused of stealing from Queen Catrina, and I am supposed to arrest you.”

“Arthur, you know I didn’t…”

Arthur cut him off, “I know, but you won’t be able to explain, which is why you need to leave Camelot, now.”

Shaking his head, Merlin cried out, “Arthur, she’s a troll!”

“Merlin, we’ve been through this,” replied Arthur on a sigh.

Pressing on, Merlin added, “I saw her!”

“I don’t care. You need to leave.” When Arthur saw that Merlin was hesitating, he yelled, “Go!”

Merlin finally gave in and took off through the side door, just in time to miss the knights that came barging into Arthur’s room through the main entrance.

As Merlin made his way down the hall, he was caught by someone who tugged him into a corner. He looked down to see Morgana holding him, her other hand raised to her lips in a signal telling him to be quiet.

She whispered, “Gaius sent me. Come with me.”

Merlin nodded, following her carefully through the halls.

Morgana and Gaius successfully hid him in a barrel in Gaius’s chambers, leaving him hiding in plain sight. After he was safely hidden, Morgana took one of Merlin’s scarves out into the woods, leaving a trail for the knights to follow. She was still unsure of what was happening, but she knew that Merlin was innocent, and that was all that mattered for now.

\---

Arthur was growing ever suspicious of his father’s changing moods as of late. Uther had demanded a raise on taxes, which was completely unnecessary and detrimental to the people. The king’s actions were out of character, and Arthur couldn’t help but feel torn. He wanted to obey his father, but as he stood in the lower town, watching the people cry out and struggle to scrape together the money for the taxes, he felt that he had to do what was right for the people.

“Give them back their money. All of it,” he demanded the knights, ignoring their protests about the king’s orders. Arthur made his way back to the castle, feeling somewhat empty despite his good deeds. He knew where this could lead.

\---

After being thoroughly reamed out by his father for what had transpired in the town, Arthur sat in his room feeling dejected. He heard the door open and expected to see Morgana standing there, since she often showed up at times like this. However, it was her maidservant, Guinevere, instead. Startled, he called out, “Guinevere! What are you doing here?”

She slowly shut the door behind her, making her way over to Arthur. “I saw what you did earlier. The people owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Arthur scoffed, “The people owe me nothing. My father is still going to impose the tax.”

Gwen sighed. “Still, everyone appreciates what you did.”

He stood up from his chair to face Gwen, shaking his head. “What if he has a point? What if I can’t rule Camelot and still be a friend to the people?”

“You can. And you will, Arthur. You’ll be the kind of king the people deserve someday, I know it.”

Arthur felt himself almost smiling at her kind words. Before he could respond to thank her for believing in him, Sir Leon barged into his room for the second time in a day. “The king has sent for you.”

\---

As soon as Morgana heard about Arthur being disinherited, she immediately sought out Uther to see if she could rectify the situation. She knew that Uther was a tyrant and often made decisions she didn’t agree with, but this was the last thing she would expect. He truly loved Arthur, more than her, more than anything.

She found the king in the throne room, with his new bride by his side. “I need to speak with you.”

Uther set down the paper he was examining, no doubt in preparation for the ceremony later, and looked up at his ward.

At his silence, Morgana prompted, “In private.”

Uther shared a look with his queen before turning his gaze back on Morgana. “Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of my wife.”

Swallowing against the dryness in her throat, Morgana pressed on, not letting anything deter her. “It’s about Arthur. I heard that you have revoked his position as your heir?”

Uther’s mouth was set into a hard line and he seemed to darken upon hearing her query. “I have. Queen Catrina will be made my heir.”

“My lord, I mean no disrespect, but I think this is the wrong decision. Arthur is your son, and the rightful heir to the throne. I know he may have upset you, but that is no reason to take away his birthright.” She tried her hardest to contain her anger over the situation, knowing that it would only make things worse.

“Morgana…” The king uttered her name as a warning.

Ignoring his protest, Morgana continued, “I have seen what’s inside him. He is just and kind, and always does what he believes is best for Camelot. I know that at times he makes mistakes, but he never stops trying to do what is right.” She gauged the look on Uther’s face and saw no change there, but she mustered up the confidence to keep going. “He is a good man, and he will make a great king. You just have to give him the chance.”

The King did not seem at all moved by her admission. He simply replied, “My decision is final.”

Morgana’s jaw dropped open slightly in shock. “My lord, please—”

“I said my decision is final, Morgana. You may return to your chambers now.” He picked up the papers he had been reading previously and acted as if she had disappeared from the room.

Morgana shut her mouth, clenching her jaw to keep from screaming. She noticed the smug look of satisfaction on the Lady Catrina’s face and suddenly got the desperate urge to rip it right off. Fighting against her more primal urges at the moment, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the throne room.

She needed to escape; the castle felt like it was suffocating her after that altercation. She went outside to get some air and found Arthur standing on the turrets, looking over the town below. 

He was staring down, watching all the people as they bustled about, his face drawn and solemn. Morgana made her way over to him, leaning against the wall next to him. For once, she couldn’t think of anything to say. He didn’t need empty words about how Uther would change his mind, because they both knew it wasn’t true.

Arthur sensed her presence and turned to look at her. “So I guess you heard.”

Morgana nodded slowly. “I just came from seeing Uther.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “He is so stubborn.”

He turned back and looked down at the people once more. “He doesn’t think I’m fit to make decisions for the land.”

“He’s wrong, Arthur. And I told him as much.”

Arthur shook his head, fighting a smile. Sarcastically, he replied, “I’m sure that did a lot of good.”

Morgana shoved her fingers roughly through her windblown hair. “He’s not thinking straight. He’ll see the error of his ways eventually.”

Feeling dejected, Arthur mumbled. “Maybe he’s right.”

Grabbing him by the arm, Morgana forced him to face her. “Arthur Pendragon, you are a lot of things, but you are not unfit to be a king.” She stared him down, her gaze steely. 

He lowered his eyes, unable to match her stare. “Doesn’t matter now anyway. I’ll never have the chance to _be_ king.”

She scoffed. “And so what if you aren’t?”

His eyes snapped back up to meet hers.

“Will you curl up and hide away? You are still the Prince of Camelot, and you are important to the people. All the good you’ve done in your life has not been contingent on your role as the future king. You have done what is right because it’s who you are. You’re a good person, Arthur, and all the titles in the world won’t change that.”

Arthur looked rather stunned, but the hints of a smile were visible at the corners of his mouth. “Thank you, Morgana.”

Noticing his hands resting on the edge of the wall, she reached over to set her hand on top of one of his. She squeezed his fingers briefly before withdrawing her hand and turning to mirror his position, looking out over the city. He may not believe it now, but she knew that it would all work out in the end, whether he was king or not.

\---

During the ceremony to name Catrina as heir, Morgana kept looking over at Arthur practically every three seconds. She could tell that he was trying to put on a show of being strong, but it had to be killing him. Her heart ached for him, and she wished that there wasn’t an aisle between them so she could be there for him. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and worried it between her teeth as she watched him out of the corner of her eye.

Arthur attempted to pay attention to the procession, but it was too difficult, and eventually he opted for staring at the ground in front of him. He could feel Morgana’s eyes on him, but he didn’t want her to see the pain etched across his face, so he refused to look in her direction.

Morgana was startled out of her constant Arthur-watching by Queen Catrina’s bizarre unladylike display. The Queen was yelling at Geoffrey of Monmouth and ordering him to rush the processions. It was all very unusual, and Morgana couldn’t help but pull a face at the Queen’s antics.

Arthur was snapped out of his melancholy stupor by the same thing, and he finally looked over at Morgana and raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

Lady Catrina soon gave up on the ceremony all together and roughly grabbed the crown from the cleric’s hands. She took off out of the throne room, leaving Uther to trail after her.

Morgana quickly followed suit, and Arthur was not far behind her. They ran until they caught up with the frantic queen, who was desperately trying to open a door.

Reluctantly, Arthur made his way to help her, but stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the Queen’s disfigured hand. “What is that?”

Catrina began to writhe and her skin appeared to bubble. Morgana gasped at the unpleasant sight. After a few agonizing moments, the beautiful lady had completely vanished, leaving in her wake a hideous troll.

Arthur’s jaw dropped open and he struggled to speak. Finally, he uttered, “You’re a troll!”

Uther turned to his son. “How dare you speak to her like that!”

Shocked by his father’s ignorance to what was in front of his eyes, Arthur questioned, “What is wrong with you?”

Morgana’s head was spinning from the revelation. “I don’t believe it.”

The troll previously known as Lady Catrina suddenly ripped the door off its hinges and hurled it across the room.

Arthur protectively moved in front of Morgana to shield her as the door soared past them to crash on the floor. They both watched in stunned silence as the troll fled the room.

Turning back to his father, Arthur implored, “She just ripped a door off its hinges, doesn’t that tell you something?”

“Enough!”

Continuing, Arthur yelled, “She’s a troll! A giant, grey—”

Watching as he searched for the word, Morgana interjected, “Stinking!”

Picking up on her cue, Arthur went on. “ _Stinking_ troll!”

Uther was clearly still under a spell and was in no way pleased by Arthur’s comments. “Stop it! Haven’t you hurt her feelings enough?” He moved to the door to collect Catrina’s fallen crown and shoes, and then turned back to Arthur and Morgana. “Insult my wife again and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.” He immediately exited the hall in search of his troll wife, leaving his bewildered son and ward behind.

Morgana and Arthur shared a look, both equally confused and disturbed.

Arthur wondered out loud to no one in particular, “What on earth just happened?”

\---

After weeks of having a troll parade around the castle as queen, everyone was growing quite annoyed, and more than slightly disgusted. 

Morgana was searching the castle for Arthur; ever since Merlin had gone into hiding she found herself seeking out Arthur more often. It was easier to deal with her magic and her constant nightmares when she spent her days with him, even though he was oblivious to what was really happening. Plus, he seemed to need her to take his mind off of the fact that he now had a troll for a stepmother.

She rounded a corner and found Gaius leading the king quickly through the corridors, heading in the direction of Arthur’s room. Morgana followed them, lagging behind a few paces. The two men slipped into Arthur’s room and Morgana hesitated outside of the door. She debated leaving them to their business, but the distinct sound of Uther’s pained cry made her change her mind.

“My boy.” Uther could be heard from outside the open door.

Morgana immediately tried to slip in the room, curious as to what was wrong. She caught sight of Uther hovering over something, but Gaius quickly pushed her back and blocked her view.

“Morgana…” Gaius tried to get her attention, but Morgana shoved his arm out of her path and moved further into the room.

What she saw made her breath catch in her throat; Arthur’s lifeless figure was lying on the floor, his lips drained of color and his chest still from lack of air. She froze on the spot, terror gripping her tight. She managed to call out, “Arthur?” 

Uther turned to look up at her, tears beginning to cloud his eyes.

The lack of response from either man seemed to shake Morgana out of her trance and she moved closer and yelled, “Arthur!”

Suddenly, the troll of a queen appeared at the door and rushed over to Uther. The king lifted up his son to his chest, cradling his head as he began to cry.

The troll grabbed him by the shoulders, urging, “Come away. There’s nothing you can do for him now!”

Uther shoved her off, crying out, “I killed him. I killed my only son!”

“No, no, no,” the troll pressed, desperately trying to stop him from breaking the spell.

Morgana was filled up with rage at the scene, and yelled at the so-called queen. “You did this!”

The troll just yanked harder on Uther, ignoring Morgana’s accusation. She started mumbling a spell, but she was stopped by Uther as he spun around to stare at her.

“Catrina?” Tears of remorse were trailing down his cheeks. He was suddenly free of the troll magic, and he stumbled backwards as he saw his wife for what she truly was. “What kind of trickery is this?”

The troll turned on Uther, spitting out hateful words, but Morgana was still focused on Arthur and everything else seemed to fade away.

Uther called out for the guards and they came pouring in to fight Catrina.

Morgana noticed Merlin slip in the room and her mind snapped back to attention. She called out to him, “Merlin?”

The warlock only glanced at Morgana for a moment before quickly making his way over to Arthur’s fallen form, too preoccupied with curing the prince.

As Morgana watched Merlin struggle to wring out his scarf over Arthur’s lips, she grew worried. “What’s happening?” Her cries were ignored and she was abruptly knocked over by one of the guards as they were thrown by the troll. Growing quite angry over the whole situation, she reached over and grabbed Arthur’s sword from where it lay by his bed.

The troll had easily taken out most of the guards and was rounding on Uther. The king was still too astounded by the news of his wife’s real identity to move.

Morgana lifted up the sword, and with a cry, she lunged at the troll from behind. Without a moment’s hesitation, she shoved the sword deep through the troll’s chest, ducking under its flailing arms as it tried to hit her. She yanked the sword out roughly and backed away from her victim.

With a disgusting sound, the troll fell to the ground and died. 

Morgana turned around and found a completely conscious Arthur standing before her. She gasped in surprise before looking over at Merlin and putting the pieces together.

An extremely confused Uther just shook his head and hurried out of the room to avoid any and all discussion.

Morgana huffed and turned to the two boys left in the room. “You two have some explaining to do.”

\---

After Merlin and Arthur explained the whole plan, Morgana understood why they did it, but she still wasn’t very pleased about it. They had to make Uther cry to break the spell, and allowing him to believe that he was responsible for his son’s death was the most logical plan. However, she couldn’t forgive the fact that they let her believe the lie as well. “You realize that you could’ve died, Arthur.”

Merlin interjected, “There was an antidote.”

Morgana scoffed. “Yes, one that you nearly didn’t administer in time.”

Arthur looked over at Merlin and shrugged. “She has a point.”

Frowning, Merlin crossed his arms over his chest. He mumbled, “You’re alive, aren’t you?”

After rolling her eyes at the pair, Morgana warned, “I’m glad you broke the spell. But if you two ever pull a scheme like that again without telling me, you might as well stay dead, Arthur Pendragon, because I will kill you both!” She spun on her heel and traipsed out of the room, leaving two frightened boys in her wake.

Recalling what she did to the troll only moments before, Arthur and Merlin exchanged looks before agreeing to never cross Morgana again, if they could help it.


	6. The Witchfinder

After the debacle with the troll, Merlin had been free to roam Camelot once more, and Morgana was taking advantage of the time to learn more about her magic. They both knew it was dangerous, but Morgana needed to know more. The fear of the unknown was worse than any thoughts of being caught. 

Merlin decided to take Morgana with him out into the woods, hoping that they would be far enough from the grounds to be safe. There was a cloud a smoke not far from where they were, and Merlin stopped when he saw it.

Morgana nearly ran into Merlin’s back from the abruptness of his halt. “What is it?”

He smiled. “Just thought we’d have some fun.” He held out his hand and mumbled a spell, causing the smoke to change into the shape of horse.

Morgana giggled under her breath at the sight. “Let me try.” She raised her hand, but as soon as she opened her mouth to utter the spell, she was run into from behind by a frantic woman.

“Did you see it?” The woman’s words came out in a rush as she clung to Morgana’s sleeve.

Stuttering, Morgana tried to answer calmly. “I-I didn’t see anything.”

The woman’s forehead creased in confusion. “My lady, you must’ve, it was right in front of you!”

Merlin quickly stepped in, pushing Morgana back. “We didn’t see anything.”

Unconvinced by their lack of corroboration, the woman continued, “It was sorcery. I must tell the king.” She hurried off through the woods, leaving Morgana and Merlin behind.

Morgana turned to Merlin, her face suddenly drained of all color.

Merlin grabbed her hand and pulled her back to Camelot, unable to speak.

\---

After the woman explained to Uther what she had seen, the king was on a mission. In front of the court, he dismissed Arthur’s offer to find the sorcerer and proclaimed that he would be summoning the Witchfinder.

Upon hearing this, Morgana’s blood ran cold. The Witchfinder was notorious for his ability to find sorcerers, and also for his treatment of them once they were caught. The thought of him discovering her or Merlin for what they really were was terrifying.

After the court was dismissed, Morgana noticed Arthur trying to get her attention, but she quickly exited the hall without making eye contact. She knew it wasn’t his fault, but he had offered to find and punish the sorcerer, and his willingness to go along with Uther’s eradication of magic made her feel sick. The only person she knew she could trust was Merlin, and she immediately sought him out.

“Merlin?” she called out as she entered Gaius’s chambers.

Merlin was sitting with Gaius when Morgana came in, and he stood up to meet her.

She stopped upon seeing Gaius, clenching her hands into fists to stop them from shaking. Although she knew Gaius knew about Merlin’s magic, she was still leery about telling anyone else.

“Is something wrong, Morgana?” Gaius asked.

Morgana stiffly shook her head, not fully trusting her voice.

Merlin guided her over to a corner away from Gaius. “Morgana, what is it?”

She grabbed his sleeve in desperation. “Merlin, what are we going to do? The Witchfinder is infamous; I know what he does to sorcerers.”

After all this time hiding his magic from everyone, Merlin was unperturbed by the thought of a witch hunter. “He’s not going to find out that it was us, Morgana, it’ll be fine.”

“But what if it isn’t?” She searched his eyes for some sort of answer there, but found none. Softly, she admitted, “I’m scared.”

Merlin placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it to comfort her. “We’ll be fine, Morgana.” It was always his mantra, and he refused to let it go now.

She nodded reluctantly and accepted his claim. They would just have to wait to see what the following days would bring.

\---

The Witchfinder arrived in Camelot and wasted no time. He began interrogating everyone, save for the crown prince and the king, it seemed. Morgana had been pacing her chambers waiting for when she would be summoned. Merlin and Gaius had both already been questioned, and while Merlin was optimistic, Morgana was still terrified. 

Gwen came over and squeezed her mistress’s hand. Even though she was unaware of the underlying reasons, she could tell that Morgana was nervous, and she wanted to help.

As Morgana turned to look at Gwen, she noticed the door to her room being opened behind them. Several guards were standing there outside her room, waiting to escort her to meet with the Witchfinder for questioning. Reluctantly, Morgana let go of Guinevere’s hand and made her way over to the men. She took a deep breath and followed them, leaving Gwen to wait alone.

The guards brought Morgana to a room down past the cells, which left her with a deep, unsettling feeling. She was ushered in and told to sit in a chair in front of a desk. There were strange contraptions hanging from the walls, and a hollowed out skull that was used to hold writing ink. 

A tall man dressed in black came in from behind her and walked around the desk to face her. He had a slightly frightening smile on his lips as he sat down in the chair. “So, you are the Lady Morgana I’ve heard so much about.”

Morgana swallowed audibly and nodded. “And you must be the notorious Witchfinder.”

He chuckled darkly. “Please, call me Aredian.” 

She forced a hint of a polite smile through, but remained silent.

Aredian picked up the quill from where it rest inside the skull and began to write something on a scroll. He paused for a moment and looked up at Morgana. “So, according to the woman’s account, you were a witness to the sorcery that occurred in the woods?”

Quietly, she replied, “I was there.”

“So you saw the magic she described, then?”

Morgana shook her head vigorously, and immediately regretted her overreaction. She quickly qualified, “I was there, but I did not see what the woman claimed to have seen.”

He cocked his head as if he were confused. “You are saying the woman lied?”

“No, I just, I didn’t see. That’s all.” Her heart was nearly pounding out of her chest, but she tried her best to remain calm.

Aredian made a humming noise in his throat as he processed the information. “The servant boy, Merlin, he said the same thing. Yet the woman seemed quite adamant.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

He suddenly shuffled through the scrolls on his desk; finally unearthing one and studying it for a moment. “I have been informed that you have been treated for nightmares, is this true?”

“Y-yes.” Her voice wavered and she wanted to kick herself for the show of weakness. She couldn’t risk letting him see her fear.

“How long have you had these nightmares?” He kept his eyes trained on his scrolls throughout his question.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Morgana took her time to keep her voice clear and confident. “Since I was a child.”

He still did not meet her gaze. “And what is the nature of these nightmares?”

Her breath caught for just a moment, but she forced herself to act normal. “I… well, I don’t really remember. They are about all kinds of things. Regular nightmares, I suppose.”

“So they are about creatures of the night, demons? Figments of your imagination?”

She clasped her hands together in her lap to keep them from shaking. “Not always.” She desperately wanted to lie to him, but she wasn’t sure which lie would be best.

He flipped through the papers some more. “You dream about people you know, then. Like Prince Arthur, perhaps?”

Inside her head, she was screaming. She bit down on the inside of her cheek before replying, “I don’t see why it would matter who I dreamt about, sir.”

He cleared his throat. “There were several reports of an incident where you claimed that the Prince’s life was in danger… right before he was mortally injured. People claim that you ran out in your nightdress, screaming about having seen something terrible. It just seems interesting, is all.” Slowly, he looked up into her eyes, smiling. “But you’re right. I suppose that’s not relevant, is it?”

Morgana gave him a tight-lipped smile in return, praying that this ordeal was over.

His eyes narrowed a fraction before his face went back to its normal stoic expression. “That’ll be all for now.”

Unable to hold it in, she breathed a sigh of relief. She all but jumped out of the chair before quickly exiting the room. As fast as she could manage, she made it back to her room and collapsed on her bed. She couldn’t help but feel like this was going to end badly for everyone.

\---

After a day of waiting, which included several more reports about alleged sorcery in the town and many more interviews, the Witchfinder asked Uther to organize a public meeting for the announcement of the identity of the sorcerer.

Morgana was beyond terrified at this point. She hadn’t slept at all, and it was obvious from the state of her appearance. Arthur had noticed, of course, and tried to speak to her, but she had refused to let him into her room the night before. Merlin reassured her yet again that it would be fine, but she wasn’t buying it. The new cases of sorcery in the lower town had nothing to do with her or Merlin, but it was still unsettling. Even if there was another sorcerer in Camelot, the risks of being caught were too high.

As they sat in the great hall waiting for the announcement, Morgana noticed Aredian glance over at her, and she could’ve sworn a grin graced his lips for a brief moment. It sent chills up her spine and she tried her best to sit up straighter in her chair.

Uther spoke up, asking Aredian, “You have a suspect?”

The Witchfinder replied, “Oh, I do, my lord. And I regret to say that they stand among us in this very room.”

Morgana sucked in a breath and searched for Merlin in the crowd. He looked equally worried.

“My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable. The facts point to one person and one person alone.” Aredian paused for effect, his eyes scanning the crowd. He looked over at Merlin and Gaius for a long moment before spinning back to face the front of the room. He lifted up his hand and pointed a finger. “The Lady Morgana!”

The collective gasp was deafening. Morgana couldn’t help the squeak of terror that passed her lips.

Immediately, Arthur and Uther both rose up from their chairs in a show of indignation. Arthur called out, “You’re wrong!”

Uther was equally frustrated. “Aredian, you must be mistaken. Morgana is my ward, she has lived here over half her life; I think I would be aware—”

Aredian cut him off. “Those who practice magic cannot be hidden from me. I warned you that there are sorcerers in Camelot, and here is one, right under your nose!”

Arthur scoffed, “You have no evidence.”

“I believe that a thorough search of her chambers will give us all the evidence we need.” Aredian effectively snubbed Arthur and turned to Uther for his permission.

Uther looked over at Morgana, who was still processing the whole situation. “Morgana? Would you allow this search?”

Still fuming, Arthur interjected, “Father!”

The king glanced over his shoulder at his son before returning his attention to Morgana. “Just to put everyone’s mind at ease.”

Morgana could faintly hear the words of Arthur and her guardian over the din inside her mind. She nodded numbly, unable to trust her mouth to form the words.

At her approval, Uther returned to his seat. “Very well. Guards, let the search begin.”

As the guards poured out of the hall, Arthur rushed over to Morgana’s side, despite the disapproving look from his father. He knelt down beside her chair. “I can’t believe he’s allowing this. I promise, everything is going to be fine, Morgana.” 

Her hollow eyes stared back at him, but he received no response. Eventually, he stood, deciding to preside over the search in Morgana’s chambers to ensure that they did not destroy all of her belongings.

\---

The guards wasted no time in rifling through all of Morgana’s things. They attempted to show some restraint in the presence of their prince, but they still managed to make quite a state of things.

Aredian was driving them to search every bit of Morgana’s room. “The sorcerer is a master of concealment, you must be extremely thorough!”

Arthur stood in the corner, rolling his eyes. “There’s nothing here, Aredian.” He had left Morgana with Merlin and Guinevere down in Gaius’s chambers, knowing that she would be safe there, but the sooner this was over the better she would feel. 

The Witchfinder angrily turned towards Arthur. “I’ll be the judge of that.” He returned to giving out orders, demanding that the guards search under the bed and in all of Morgana’s drawers.

It was making Arthur seethe to see the men digging through Morgana’s personal belongings. Her garments were strewn across the floor haphazardly, and her jewels dumped out on the table. It would take Gwen hours to return it all to its proper place.

Aredian pointed to Morgana’s wardrobe and ordered, “There, inside that cabinet.”

At the command, Sir Leon quickly ran over and opened the door, causing a bright silver bracelet to fall out to the floor. It contained a yellow stone that seemed to glow in the light. Leon picked it up and brought it to Aredian.

After studying it, Aredian declared, “An amulet of enchantment.”

Unconvinced, Arthur quipped, “It’s a bracelet.”

“It’s an instrument of sorcery, Arthur.”

The prince stood up from where he rested on the wall and made his way over to closer inspect the amulet. As much as he hated to admit it, it did appear to be magical in nature. “I’m sure there’s an explanation…” he started.

Ignoring him, Aredian started walking to the door. “My work here is done. I must tell the king.”

Arthur rubbed his hand vigorously over his face, dreading what was to happen next.

\---

The guards came for Morgana, finding her in Gaius’s chambers. They apologized, but explained that they were under orders.

Morgana’s whole body began to react violently, as if her survival instinct had suddenly been activated. “No, no.”

The guards tentatively took a step forward, restraining her as she thrashed against them.

She felt herself being dragged out of the room, and she yelled out, “Where is Arthur? Please, this has to be a mistake. Arthur! Arthur!” Her cries echoed throughout the stone halls, but no one was there to answer her call.

Once they reached the dungeons, the guards brought her into a cell and left her there, locking the door.

Dropping to the floor, Morgana resigned herself to her fate.

\---

Against his wishes, Arthur dined with his father and Aredian after Morgana’s arrest. He was not in the mood to talk to anyone, least of all the man responsible for putting Morgana in a cell.

Thankfully Uther was still skeptical of Morgana’s guilt, and he tried to reason with Aredian. “I know that you have reason to believe that Morgana is practicing magic, but I assure you, Aredian, you must be mistaken. She would never do that to me.”

Shaking his head, Aredian chastised the king. “It is often the people closest to us who end up betraying us, Uther. She used your trust as a way to blind you to her true nature.”

Arthur was desperately fighting the urge to shove his knife through the table. “Morgana is not the person you think she is. You don’t know her.”

Aredian spared Arthur a glance before continuing with his meal. “I know sorcerers. And I know it is often the last person you would expect.”

Uther took a long drink from his wine glass before speaking. “We still do not know for sure that it is Morgana who is the sorcerer. This amulet you found, it could just be a stupid mistake. Morgana has not seen the evils of the world like we have; she may have been unaware of what it was when she acquired it.”

“You see what you want to see, my lord. But I believe this girl is capable of much more than you know.”

Arthur was growing tired with all of this. “We must give her the benefit of the doubt.”

The Witchfinder cocked a brow and asked, “Why?”

Arthur desperately wanted to yell at him, to say: because it’s Morgana, that’s why! But he held his tongue.

At Arthur’s silence, Aredian went on, “Well, there is one sure way we can establish her guilt.”

Uther threw down his napkin, shaking his head. “No, I know your methods are effective, but Morgana is far too delicate. She could not withstand such treatment.”

Arthur remained quiet, but his nails were close to drawing blood from his palms as he clenched his fists.

“It’s the only way. Would you rather the kingdom be destroyed due to your negligence? You must rid your mind of all doubt.” Aredian continued to eat his dinner as if it were the most casual conversation topic in the world.

Arthur watched as his father started to give in, and he shot up from his chair. “You can’t be serious.”

Sighing, Uther averted his eyes from his son’s steely gaze. “He’s right, Arthur. We have to know for sure.”

Refusing to be a part of this any longer, Arthur stormed out of the room. He would not stand by and watch them do this to Morgana.

\---

Despite Arthur’s multiple and very loud protests, Aredian began his work with Morgana. Arthur railed against it, fighting with his father for hours, but unfortunately the decision was made.

Morgana was rudely awoken and dragged out of her cell for further investigations. She was subjected to hours of questioning, no matter how many times she insisted that the amulet was not hers. She was consistently dragged in and out of her cell, deprived of sleep and food. Aredian would drill her for hours about sorcery, trying to crack her.

Fighting exhaustion, Morgana mustered up enough strength to glare angrily at her jailer. “I have done nothing wrong.”

Aredian simply grinned and replied, “What you are is wrong enough, my dear.”

The questioning continued on, with Morgana falling into a routine of repeating a simple “no” to each question about her wrongdoings. She started to feel as if this torture would never end. It carried on throughout the night and into the morning, with her being given short reprieves in her cell only to be brought back for more.

Arthur received no sleep either, for he was too busy pacing outside of the entrance to the cells. He occasionally would stop to scream at the guards for refusing to let him see Morgana, or kick things over when he would hear Morgana’s cries.

Merlin snuck down and saw Arthur’s displays and realized that he had to do something.

\---  
Before the sun came up, Merlin followed a familiar path down to the caverns below the castle. He found the Great Dragon sleeping there and woke him from his slumber.

The dragon stretched his wings and asked, “What is wrong, young warlock?”

“I did something stupid. And now Morgana is going to pay for it.”

The dragon was unmoved. “This does not concern me. I have told you before, the witch is dangerous.”

Merlin cried, “She’s not!” Ignoring his frustration, he explained, “There is a witchfinder here in Camelot, and it’s my fault, but he has arrested Morgana for sorcery. She could die because of me!”

Kilgharrah readjusted himself on his perch, contemplating the situation. “Perhaps she should die. She has a destiny of her own, Merlin. One that you would be careful to not let come to pass.”

“She’s my friend. I won’t let her die because of something that I did. I was the one who did the magic, not her.” He came to a conclusion, “I should confess; it’s the only way to save her.”

“And your stupidity continues,” the dragon deadpanned.

“I won’t sacrifice her to save myself!” he shouted.

“She is already doomed.” He paused for a moment before clarifying, “If you confess, the Witchfinder will just burn you both. Were you to die, you would endanger the lives of all those who rely upon you. I suggest that you let this go, Merlin.”

“I can’t. Please.”

“I am sorry, young warlock, but there is nothing that I can do.” The dragon unfurled his wings and took flight, leaving Merlin standing alone.

\---

Morgana was brought in for another round of questioning by Aredian, and by now she was nearing the brink of a breakdown from the stress.

After trying many tactics, Aredian finally tried for a weak spot he knew might cause a reaction. “You know, I wonder… you have many friends in the castle, did any of them know that you were a traitor?”

Her customary answer came on cue, “No.”

“I think someone must’ve. Was it Gaius? He treated you for your nightmares, your manifestations of magic that caused you to see things in your dreams, did he not?”

At this point, she was so accustomed to the uncomfortable questions that she didn’t even care. “My nightmares are not magic, and therefore I was given a remedy by Gaius like any of his other patients.”

“Hmm, well what about his assistant, Merlin? The boy was with you when you conjured the image in the smoke. Perhaps he was hiding your secret as well.”

His insinuation that Merlin was guilty made a lump form in her throat, but she refused to let Aredian see. Her mind was sluggish, but she still was able to give clear answers. “I did not conjure anything, and Merlin has done nothing wrong.”

He came up with another, “And your maid, Guinevere, is it? She is with you all the time, she must have seen something.”

Morgana shook her head. “You’re wrong.”

Trying for one last tactic, Aredian asked, “And what about Prince Arthur?”

She involuntarily snapped her head up to look him in the eye upon hearing Arthur’s name. It made her blood run cold and there was malice in her stare. “Arthur would never do anything to harm Camelot.”

He smiled, knowing he hit a sore spot. “Yet he harbors a sorcerer within its walls. He has grown up with you, surely he knew of your secret.”

“I have no secret,” she spat.

Aredian walked around behind where she sat and bent over to talk by her ear. “Maybe I should bring all of your friends down here. They can burn alongside of you as conspirers. Anyone who consorts with sorcerers is an enemy of the crown, and should be punished.”

Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, but she ignored the feeling, holding it at bay. “They have done nothing, as I have done nothing!”

“You corrupted them. No doubt you have turned some of them to magic as well. The boy, Merlin, I’m sure you’ve convinced him.”

She shook her head. “No.”

He stood up straight and moved forward to look her in the face. “He probably admired you from afar, and you used it to turn him evil, just like you!”

“No!” A single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. She was determined to stay strong, but Aredian was too close now. He knew of Merlin’s magic, she was sure. This was all a game to him.

“If you truly cared about your friends, you would save them from sharing your fate. It’s too late for you, but them… I could let them live.” He smirked down at her. “If…”

Morgana filled in with the obvious question, “If what?”

“If you confess. There is no need for more people to die, now is it?” He saw her will crumbling and smiled. “You can save them.”

She bit her lip so hard that she could taste the blood in her mouth.

“This all could end,” he tempted her.

There was no other way out of this, either she would die down here, or she would die out there. But if she could stop anyone else from getting hurt… she had to do this.

\---

They brought her into the throne room, the guards suspiciously rougher with her now that they believed she was truly guilty. They tossed her to the ground and she landed on her knees in a heap.

Aredian yanked her up by the back of her dress to face the king, who looked both distressed and angry over the sight in front of him. The Witchfinder bellowed, “Confess!”

Morgana stared down at the floor, terrified of what she might see in Arthur’s eyes. “I am a witch. I’m—” Her voice choked off with emotion, a sob in her throat. “I’m guilty of practicing magic in Camelot.”

Uther shook his head in disbelief.

“I never meant to hurt anyone. I am so sorry for everything,” she sobbed.

The Witchfinder shook her roughly to force her to look up at her king.

She saw the sadness in Uther’s eyes, but underneath that was fear. He feared magic more than he cared for her; that much she knew. “Please, I know it was wrong, but if you could find it in your heart to forgive me…”

Aredian laughed behind her.

Uther stood from his chair abruptly. “You… How could you do this, Morgana? You have betrayed me, betrayed everyone you care about.”

She dropped her head to her chest, continuing to sob. “I am truly sorry.”

The king turned away from her, fighting the urge to cry along with her. “I am sorry as well, Morgana.”

She looked back up, fearing his next words. In a moment of pure weakness, she trained her eyes over on Arthur. He looked as though he wasn’t breathing. Despite the stillness of his body, his face was busy with a million different emotions warring beneath the surface. Morgana could see all of it, but couldn’t tell which was going to win. Years of mastering the subtle nuances of Arthur were no help to her now. He was lost to her.

Uther remained turned away from her. He stood there for a moment, choking on his decision. Finally, he announced, “By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you…” He paused, fighting with himself. The cold and calculating king won out in the end, because he finished, “to death.”

Something in Arthur seemed to break at that precise moment, because his body sprang to motion. He jumped out of his chair and ran down to Morgana. He picked her up and protectively wrapped his arms around her. “No,” he uttered.

Uther commanded his son, “Arthur, let her go.”

“I don’t care what she has confessed, father. This is Morgana. She would never harm us.” When Uther still would not face them, Arthur yelled, “Look at her!”

The king reluctantly looked over at his ward. She was crying harder now, her arms wrapped around her stomach as if she were holding herself together.

“Don’t do this,” Arthur pleaded.

Aredian cut in, “It is already done. She has confessed, and she must answer for her crimes.”

Uther nodded in response. “Guards.”

The guards came up and took hold of Morgana. They started to pull her away from Arthur, but he wouldn’t let go. Eventually, one of the guards had to elbow him hard in the gut. The force of the blow caused Arthur to release his hold and the guards pulled Morgana away from his arms.

As she was dragged from the room, Arthur screamed out, “Morgana!” He ran after them, but several more guards moved in front of him and blocked his path. Arthur immediately turned on his father, and with pure venom in his voice, muttered, “You will regret this.” He shoved the guards out of the way and left the hall.

\---

Morgana curled up on the floor of her cell, sobs still racking through her body. She had wanted to save her friends, but she dreaded the thought of dying with everyone hating her. What right did they have to judge her? She had done nothing wrong. Her magic was not a choice, it was a gift. Unfortunately it was a gift she was more than willing to return now.

A noise outside of her cell caught Morgana’s attention and she sat up, wiping at her eyes to clear away the tears.

The sound of faint footsteps became clearer as someone moved through the dungeon. Suddenly, a dark head appeared around the corner, his finger held up to his lips to remind her to stay quiet.

Morgana stood up, attempting a smile. “Merlin.”

He made his way over to her cell door to talk to her. “I know I’m not allowed down here, but I had to see you.”

Each step she took towards the cell door caused her body to ache in protest. Sleeping on the hard floor had not been comfortable, and she was still feeling the effects.

Merlin noticed the physical pain she was in, knowing that it was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil she was experiencing. “This isn’t right, Morgana. This isn’t your fault.”

She nodded, feeling a fresh set of tears forming. “I know. But if this keeps everyone else safe…” She trailed off, unable to stop the waterworks. Frustrated, she complained, “God, I’m so sick of crying.”

Reaching his arm through the bars to grab her hand, Merlin tried to console her. “Morgana…”

Hiccupping slightly, Morgana pushed back the tears. She sighed, “I hate this. I never asked for this! I never…” She shook her head forcefully, irritated with her own weakness. Petulantly, she cried out, “It’s not fair.”

Merlin nodded in agreement. “I know.”

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. “But there’s no use in that now, is there?” she mused. “Merlin, if this happens, if I…”

He was quick to jump in and contradict her. “It won’t. I’m going to find a way to save you, I promise.”

“But if it does,” she pressed. “I need you to look out for Arthur. You can’t let this destroy him.”

Merlin knew the damage this would cause, and he dreaded the future that would result from this tragedy. His throat was suddenly completely dry, and he swallowed multiple times. “I will.”

Biting down on her lip, she carefully chose her next words. “And if I… I need you to tell him… just tell him…” She couldn’t get it out, but Merlin understood.

“I know, Morgana.” He smiled at her despite the dour tone of the conversation.

“And Merlin, promise you’ll be careful. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt because of me.” It was useless to ask him not to try and save her, but she knew the risk he was taking by going against the Witchfinder.

“Always.” He squeezed her fingers tightly before pulling his hand out from between the cell bars. “I should go before someone sees me, but I wanted to remind you not to give up. There’s still hope.”

The corners of her lips twitched in the start of a smile, but her body knew better than to put too much stock in hope. She just whispered, “Goodbye, Merlin.”

Merlin slipped around the corner and ran straight into Prince Arthur.

Arthur had a pensive look on his face, and it was clear that he had been eavesdropping on the conversation.

Merlin took a step back and brushed himself off. “Thank you for helping me to see her.”

The prince nodded, his mind still reeling from Morgana’s words. He couldn’t seem to pin down any coherent thoughts at the moment. He knew it was selfish, but out of everything, he was most curious about the message she had wanted Merlin to convey to him.

After watching Arthur stare off into the dark for several minutes, Merlin decided it was best to leave him alone. Before he left, however, he asked, “Are you going to go see her?”

Arthur’s mind immediately cleared of his previous thoughts, and his focus went straight to Merlin. The question seemed to echo throughout his ears, almost as if it were taunting him. Eventually, feeling the weight of his cowardice, he dropped his head, looking away from his manservant. Instead of answering, he simply replied with, “Goodnight, Merlin.”

Understanding, Merlin left Arthur to deal with everything on his own.

\---

After some serious detective work by Merlin and Guinevere, both of whom were desperate to save their friend, they found some evidence that could be used against the Witchfinder. They discovered a flower in Aredian’s room and determined that it was belladonna, which can cause hallucinations. The pair worked through the night, running through the lower town and waking up a shopkeeper who sold the belladonna. It took a great deal of persuasion, but they finally convinced the man to admit that Aredian had forced him to sell the belladonna. With actual proof that the claims of magic were only hallucinations, they had a fighting chance to save Morgana.

Guinevere however, still didn’t believe that it was enough. “It’s still just our word against Aredian, that won’t be enough to convince the king.”

Coming up with a new plan, Merlin smiled at his friend. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” He took off, running up to Aredian’s chambers. He made sure that the Witchfinder was sleeping before muttering several spells to ensure that his plan would work.

\---

The next morning, everyone seemed to be dreading the sun. They all knew that it would mean the end for Morgana, and most of the kingdom was feeling the loss already.

Merlin had a plan, but it wasn’t moving fast enough as they were already preparing for the execution. 

Upon first light, Aredian carted Morgana out into the middle of the square where the pyre had been prepared.

Arthur had refused to watch the execution take place, but Merlin found him on the edge of the square, hiding in the shadows. “Arthur, please, you have to stop this!”

Arthur stared at his manservant in disbelief. “You don’t think I want to? There’s nothing I can do.”

The Prince seemed completely broken at the prospect of losing Morgana, but Merlin was determined to get through to him. “I have proof that Morgana is innocent.”

Arthur immediately shoved Merlin out of the way and ran through the square, muttering under his breath, “Why didn’t you just say that?” He pushed through the crowd and yelled up at Aredian. “Wait!” He made his way up the pyre to grab Morgana and pull her away. Turning to Aredian, he stated, “We have a matter that needs to be brought before the king.”

\---

After discussing the evidence with Uther, they organized a search of Aredian’s chambers. The guards opened a cabinet, causing a flood of amulets to cascade across the floor. Another shelf contained dozens of bottles of belladonna as well.

Aredian protested, “These things are not mine!” He then began to cough violently and bent over at the waist. He heaved as though he would be sick, and unexpectedly, a toad was ejected from his mouth.

Arthur grinned at the sight, and Uther drew his sword. The king spat out, “Sorcerer.”

The guards went to seize the newly found sorcerer, but Aredian backed away and pulled out a knife.

Arthur all too happily moved forward to fight the man, hoping that he would get the satisfaction of killing him. He was let down however, because Aredian suddenly dropped his knife as if he had been burned.

As the guards closed in, Aredian stumbled backwards in shock. His foot caught on a box and before anyone could grab him, he crashed out of the stain-glass window and fell to the ground.

Arthur huffed in annoyance at the lost opportunity, but was thankful at least that it all was over.

\---

Once Morgana had been cleared of all charges, Arthur mustered up the courage to go and see her. He found her in her rooms, resting in her bed. Feeling shy, he could only manage to say, “Hello.”

Morgana looked up at her visitor and smiled. Despite all his earlier support of Uther’s hatred of magic, he had still tried to save her, even after her confession. It made her happy to know that he could possibly accept her, but even after all that, she felt a little safer with him now that she was cleared. “I see that you’ve forgotten how to knock again. Really, a few days without me and all your manners disappear.”

Arthur chuckled to himself and walked over to her bed. He perched on the edge, careful not to sit on her legs. “Are you…” he couldn’t finish, knowing it was a stupid question.

She filled in the blank for him. “I’m fine, Arthur.” She wasn’t, but the lie easily rolled off her tongue.

He traced his fingers along the thread pattern on the bedspread. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. I still can’t believe that my father was willing to…” He shook his head.

“He despises magic, it’s no less than I would expect.” She tried her best to hold in her anger. Ranting about Uther would do her no good at this point, what was done was done.

His hand stilled in its movements. “You’re right. I am sorry, though.” 

She tried her best to be nonchalant about the whole ordeal. “Don’t be. My name is cleared now, and Aredian is gone. Everything can go back to normal.”

Arthur slowly looked up from the bed and locked eyes with her. “I don’t think things will ever be normal again.”

Morgana searched his face, trying to understand what he meant. “Arthur, what—”

“You weren’t lying, Morgana,” he interrupted. He had been putting the pieces together for a while, and he had to know for sure. “I know you too well. You… you have magic, don’t you?”

She felt as though all the warmth had dissipated from the room. Her entire body was frozen. Arthur could turn her back in, and she would be back on that pyre by tomorrow. Her gut instinct was to lie to him again, no matter how awful it tasted in her mouth. “I was only doing what Aredian told me to do, Arthur.”

He knew that this could ruin everything they had built between them, but he couldn’t let it go. “That doesn’t make your confession any less true. I heard you in the dungeons, you were crying about all of this, and the thing is, never once did you claim that you were innocent. You just said you had done nothing wrong.”

“Arthur… please, don’t.” If only she could convince him to leave it alone.

He ignored her pleas, continuing, “And that was true, wasn’t it? You have magic, but you… you’re good, and kind. You truly have done nothing wrong.”

Her fingers clutched the bedcovers tight, unclear about where this would lead.

“Having magic doesn’t make you a bad person. My father may not see that, but… I do, Morgana.”

Just when she thought she was through with all the crying, she felt her eyes brim with hot tears. She gave in, admitting the truth. “Arthur, I never wanted to keep this from you. I just didn’t want you to look at me differently. I—” Fresh sobs broke through as she tried to speak. “I can’t lose you.”

One of his large hands engulfed her smaller one as he pulled it away from the covers and wrapped it in between both of his hands. “You never will.”

Her sobs quieted, and she gave him a watery smile.

He lifted her hand up to his mouth and lightly kissed her fingers. “I’m going to keep you safe. I promise.”

She nodded, feeling warmth fill her up once again. They had a long way to go, but this was a good start.


	7. Sins of the Father

Even though Arthur had acknowledged that Morgana had magic, and had sworn to protect her with his life, he was still having a hard time adjusting. It was difficult, having to see past all the prejudice his father had instilled in him and to just see Morgana as _Morgana_. He truly was trying, but it was taking some time.

Morgana had noticed the change, and she originally gave Arthur his space to let him process. However, it had been over a week, and patience wasn’t her strong suit when it came to him. So eventually she decided that enough was enough. She was going to prove to him that she was the same girl he’d always known, and she knew the perfect way.

She found Arthur down on the training grounds. He had just finished training with a group of new recruits who were soon to be knighted. A smile quirked up on the edge of her lips as she watched him swing his sword through the air with ease. He truly was magnificent to watch, not that she’d ever tell him that.

Merlin sensed her presence first and turned to greet her. His words died on his tongue as soon as he saw her, though. She was dressed in her chainmail and breeches, with a sword hanging low off her belt. He dropped his head into his hands, mumbling to himself, “Oh, no.”

Morgana smiled cheerfully as she approached the pair. “Hello, boys.”

Arthur finally registered that she was there and turned to face her. “Morgana.”

His tone lacked the normal warmth and excitement it usually held when he saw her and her face fell slightly as a result. Pushing her feelings down, she continued with her plan. “You know, I figured practicing with the new knights must have been a bit boring. They’re clearly no match for you yet. I thought perhaps you’d want a real workout before bed.”

Merlin nearly choked on his own saliva.

Rolling her eyes, Morgana unsheathed her sword. “I meant sword practice, Merlin.” Her gaze turned to Arthur, her smile back in place. “You know I’m better than those boys.”

He nodded in agreement, but he didn’t return her smile. “Surely you are, but I think I’ve had enough for today.”

She resisted the urge to stamp her foot like a child. Arthur could be so damn stubborn. Pushing through the annoyance, she goaded, “Afraid of a real challenge, Arthur?”

Arthur huffed, clearly not impressed by her accusation. “We all know that I’d beat you, Morgana, and I don’t really need the lecture from father today about hurting your delicate feelings.”

She thrust out her sword, holding it level with Arthur’s face. “If you’re so sure, then prove it.”

He shook his head. “Morgana…”

She grinned at him and reached out with her free arm to shove at his shoulder. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Sighing, he gave in. “Fine, but when I win you can’t go griping about it.”

Pleased with herself, she dropped her sword back to her waist. “Deal.”

They both made their way across the field to an open area and prepared to spar. Merlin brought Arthur his sword and both parties dropped into a fighting stance.

Morgana’s long braid whipped around her shoulders as she turned to Merlin and ordered, “Call it.”

Merlin was hesitant, but did as he was told. He called out, “Begin.”

Arthur moved forward first, striking in an attack move. Morgana easily parried the blow, fighting back with equal fervor, and perhaps even more determination. The two continued to attack and defend, both clearly skilled with a sword. 

Arthur swung his sword in a low arc and caused Morgana to jump back from the blade as it neared her stomach. She glared at him before returning the favor with a downward slice of her sword that caused him to stumble as he blocked the blow.

The two carried on for a while like that, until finally Arthur caught Morgana’s sword on an upswing and knocked it out of her grasp. 

The sword clattered to the ground several feet away from her and Arthur smiled triumphantly. “See, I told—”

Before he could finish, Morgana flew at him, crashing into his body and shoving him firmly to the ground from the force. She fell over with him and sat on top of him, straddling his waist. Without even blinking, she pulled a knife out of her boot and held it to his throat.

Arthur was absolutely dumbstruck.

She threw her head back, unable to hold in her laughter. She settled some and smirked down at her opponent. “You were saying?”

Arthur finally stopped gaping like a fish and managed to frown at her, but it lacked the sternness it had held over the past few days. “You cheated.”

She shrugged. “No one said we were fighting fair.”

He grumbled, “You never fight fair.”

Cocking her head, she pushed her knife closer to his neck and asked, “Do you yield?”

“No.” He started to smile at that, refusing to let her have the satisfaction.

In the spirit of not fighting fair, she took it one step further. The smile that she wore was disconcerting, but before Arthur could do anything to stop her, she rocked her hips back against him and caused him to lose the ability to speak.

His reaction was immediate and he squeaked out, “I yield.”

Morgana rolled off of him, lying on her back in the dirt next to him. “You’re too easy, Arthur Pendragon.”

He huffed in annoyance. “I am never fighting you again.”

She burst into laughter, feeling some semblance of normalcy again.

Arthur turned his head to look at her and couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Her hair was jutting out at odd angles from her braid, and she had a smudge of dirt across her cheek. Her laughter was something so sweet and familiar that he found himself wondering how he ever could’ve doubted who she was. Wistfully, he murmured, “I’ve missed you.”

Tilting her head to look at him, her laughter stilled and she countered softly, “I never left, Arthur.”

His smile brightened. “Yeah, I’m getting that.”

Morgana chuckled, thankful that he had come to his senses. “Well, you always were a bit slow.”

“Hey!”

\---

The next day, Morgana and Arthur stood in the great hall, watching as Uther knighted a group of Camelot’s newest protectors. Uther began to boast about Arthur’s abilities to the knights, which was making Arthur glow with pride. Morgana leaned back and smirked over at Arthur behind the king’s back, refusing to let his ego go completely unchecked.

The processions were abruptly brought to a halt as noises of a struggle could be heard outside the doors. Suddenly, a warrior dressed in full armor entered the room, strutting with the air of a victor. All of the new knights drew their swords, prepared to protect their king.

Morgana caught Arthur’s eye for a brief second, silently begging him to not get involved. She knew better, of course.

The mysterious visitor threw down the gauntlet expectantly, and as Morgana feared, Arthur bent down to pick it up.

“I accept your challenge.” He spoke with the eerie calmness of a true knight. “If I am to face you in combat, do me the courtesy of revealing your identity.”

Morgana watched intently as the intruder removed their helmet, revealing long golden locks and a beautiful face. Morgana sucked in a breath, as did the rest of the court. 

The warrior woman spoke, “My name is Morgause.”

Arthur stared in awe, trying his best to remain stoic despite the strange situation.

An odd feeling washed over Morgana as she stared at the woman, and she could swear that she had met this Morgause somewhere before.

\---

Uther had immediately enlisted Geoffrey of Monmouth’s help, and after a thorough search of the challenge rules, it was found that there was nothing to stop Morgause from issuing a challenge against Arthur.

Arthur accepted this and was still planning on fighting, since he was unwilling to look a coward in any way.

Once Morgana heard that the fight was still on, she went to see Arthur in his chambers. She found him at the window, staring out at Morgause as she fought in the courtyard. Until the challenge, Morgause was to stay in the castle, which was making Morgana uneasy.

Arthur could feel Morgana’s stare on his back, and he knew something was troubling her. “What is it, Morgana?”

She padded over to the window to stand next to him. “I know you won’t listen, but… I don’t think you should fight this woman.”

“And why is that?” He had yet to look away from the window.

“There’s something about her, Arthur. I don’t know what it is. I’m… I’m worried.”

Her statement made him turn away from the window. He saw that she was serious about this. “Was it one of your dreams?” He didn’t know everything about her magic, but he did know that her nightmares were often visions of things to come. 

She shook her head. “No, just, a feeling.” She laughed at herself, “I know you don’t put much stock in my _feelings_ , but I figured I should at least tell you.”

Arthur smiled softly at her, feeling a pang of guilt for his past behavior. She was only looking out for him. “I’ll see if I can convince her to withdraw. But that’s all I can do, Morgana.”

Nodding, Morgana accepted his decision. “Thank you.” She glanced down through the window before quietly leaving his chambers.

\---

Despite Arthur following through on his promise, Morgause had not accepted his proposal to withdraw, and the fight was still to take place.

Morgana paced her room for what seemed like hours before the fight. She knew that Arthur was a skilled fighter, but she couldn’t shake the feeling in her stomach that something was going to go wrong.

As everyone poured into the arena to watch, Morgana slipped away from Uther’s side to go and see Arthur. She caught sight of him as he walked across the grounds and she tried her best to smile at him. 

Arthur returned her smile as he moved past her, brushing his fingers against hers for the briefest of moments.

No one else noticed the private exchange, but the feeling of his touch immediately brightened Morgana’s mood.

Arthur stepped out into the arena and faced Morgause. Whispering to her, he implored, “This is your last chance to withdraw.”

Morgause said nothing.

Recognizing her unwillingness to back down, Arthur put on his helmet and prepared himself for the fight.

Morgana watched nervously from the stands as the fight began. Neither Arthur nor Morgause seemed to have the upper hand at the start, with both parties moving swiftly and delivering well-placed blows. 

Arthur was fighting very well, and he eventually managed to knock Morgause’s sword from her hand. On his swing, he sliced a cut through her arm that managed to draw blood.

Morgana breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that the fight was over. Though she strangely didn’t want Morgause dead, she cared more for Arthur’s life and needed him to be victorious.

However, Arthur, being a gentleman, allowed Morgause to retrieve her sword and the fight continued. Morgause came at him with several vigorous attacks, but Arthur parried the blows and managed to get her up against the wall of the arena.

Morgana held her breath.

Arthur swung his sword, ready to make the killing blow, but Morgause spun out of the way. With Arthur’s back to her, she kicked out his knees, knocking him to the ground. Arthur’s helmet flew off as his head collided with the earth, and he looked up at his opponent from where he lay on his back. He tried to sit up, but Morgause’s sword was suddenly at his chest, pushing him further into the dirt.

From where she sat, Morgana could only see the back of Arthur’s head and the sword pressing down above his heart. She desperately wanted to jump in the arena and save him, but she forced herself to stay seated. Instead, she gripped the arms of her chair so violently that she feared they would break.

Morgause took off her helmet as she stared down at her fallen opponent. “Make me a promise,” she requested, “and I will spare your life.”

“What is it you ask?”

“Come to me three days hence, and accept the challenge I set here.” She continued to press down with her sword, waiting for his response.

“And the nature of this challenge?” Arthur asked.

“That is for me to decide,” she explained. “Do I have your word that you will accept? No matter what.”

Arthur had no choice but agree, since her sword was at his chest. Though he feared he may regret it, he replied, “You have my word.”

At that, Morgause pulled away her sword and offered Arthur her hand. As he took it, she pulled him to his feet. Morgause turned to the king and bowed her head, excusing herself from the arena.

Morgana watched in amazement, her heart still in her throat. She suddenly had a sinking feeling that this was Morgause’s plan all along.

\---

Morgana made her way to their guest’s chambers once she was sure Morgause had returned from her visit with Gaius. She was still wary of this stranger, but the woman had spared Arthur, and something about her was so familiar, it was driving Morgana slightly mad.

She opened the door to Morgause’s chambers and slipped inside. As Morgause rounded a corner, Morgana noticed her startled expression and felt the need to be courteous. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I wanted to introduce myself. I’m the Lady Morgana.”

Morgause smiled at her. “I know who you are.”

There was a bit of awkward silence as Morgause studied Morgana carefully, so Morgana added, “You fought very well today. There are not many capable of defeating Arthur.”

Morgause hummed in agreement. “Yes, he is quite a skilled warrior.”

Gathering up her courage, Morgana questioned, “This challenge of yours, are you planning to harm him?”

The blonde cocked her head, intrigued by the query. “I see that the thought troubles you. But I assure you, I mean no harm to the prince. I believe I demonstrated that today, did I not?”

Morgana nodded, still feeling wary. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew this woman, and she found the words tumbling out of her mouth. “Could it be that we’ve met somewhere before?”

Morgause shook her head, negating the question. “I’m glad we’ve met now,” she continued.

As Morgause moved, Morgana caught sight of her intricate bracelet, and yet again the familiarity swept over her, though she doubted she had ever seen that actual bracelet before. “That’s a beautiful bracelet,” she murmured.

Morgause looked down at the bracelet on her wrist before addressing Morgana. “It was a gift, from my mother.” She assessed Morgana once more, noticing the slight circles under her eyes. “Perhaps you should take it.” Before Morgana could protest, Morgause went on, “You look as though you haven’t been sleeping.”

Morgana cautiously nodded in response.

“This is a healing bracelet. I would like you to have it, it will help you sleep.”

Shaking her head, Morgana backed away a step. “I couldn’t.” Quickly, she added, “You must be tired, I should let you rest.” She exited the room, only looking back once before shutting the door.

\---

After the fight, Merlin couldn’t seem to stop cracking jokes at Arthur’s expense. Arthur continually protested that he was hindered because Morgause was a woman, but Merlin didn’t buy it.

“You didn’t look hindered.”

“Merlin,” Arthur growled.

Ignoring the threat, Merlin continued, “Not when you were fighting Morgana either. I mean, losing to two women in one week? I think you might be slipping.”

“MERLIN!”

Morgana could hear the scream from down the hall, and she chuckled to herself as she entered Arthur’s chambers unannounced. “Oh Arthur, don’t be so hard on Merlin.”

Arthur grumbled something unpleasant under his breath, fed up with the both of them.

Morgana smiled over at Merlin knowingly before speaking to Arthur. “Don’t worry; I’m not here to give you a hard time.”

“Then why are you here?” Arthur asked, tempering his anger for Morgana’s sake.

Sighing, she sat down in one of Arthur’s dinner chairs. “Are you planning on going through with this challenge?”

“I gave her my word.”

She had known his answer before he even spoke. “I know.” She ducked her head, staring at the table.

Arthur could tell she was worried, so he went and sat down in the chair across from her. He bent forward over the table to speak to her. “I’ll be fine, Morgana. Merlin’s coming with, and you know how helpful he can be.”

Morgana knew he was being sarcastic, but it actually did make her feel better. She suddenly was struck with an idea, and looked up from the table to meet Arthur’s eyes. “Take me with you as well.”

Arthur shook his head and leaned back away from the table to rest against his chair. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You just said it would be fine.”

He shrugged. “Even still, you’re not coming, Morgana.”

“I could help! You know I could. And besides, then I wouldn’t have to sit here worrying, now would I?”

He knew that she wanted to protect him, but he couldn’t allow her to do this. “It’s my challenge, Morgana, I have to go alone.”

Morgana countered, “Merlin’s going.”

Arthur waved it off. “Merlin doesn’t count.”

Merlin scoffed in the background.

Morgana wasn’t giving up that easily, though. “I’m going to find a way to come, so either you agree or I’ll sneak out and follow you.”

He let out a sigh of exasperation. “Father hasn’t even agreed to let _me_ go yet, Morgana.”

She grinned. “Then we’ll both sneak out.”

Dropping his head down to let it rest on the table, he mumbled, “You’re going to be the death of me, Morgana.”

\---

Morgause left the next morning, after leaving a gift for Morgana in her chambers. The blonde had snuck in and whispered an enchantment over the bracelet before leaving it on Morgana’s armoire. 

Morgana had yet to notice the trinket, since she had been up all night with Merlin in Gaius’s chambers. The pair discussed their plans for their journey with Arthur, and practiced protection spells as a precaution. 

Merlin seemed exhausted by the next day, but Morgana didn’t lament the lack of sleep, since it would only bring more nightmares. Her work with Merlin had helped, as did her days with Arthur, but the nightmares were still a constant presence in her life. At the moment, the most pressing matter was helping Arthur, however, so she ignored her own problems.

As Morgause had departed, she mentioned to Arthur that she had known his mother, which only spurred his desire to fulfill her request even more. Uther had strictly forbidden it, throwing around claims of Morgause being a possible sorceress as his excuse. Due to his stubborn nature, Arthur had ignored his father’s protests and had Merlin prepare to secretly leave the castle before dawn.

That night, Merlin stole some supplies and a stretch of rope to aid in their escape. As he entered Arthur’s chambers in the early morning hours, he noticed that a certain someone was missing. “Where’s Morgana?”

Arthur shrugged his shoulders. “I guess she came to her senses.”

They both knew that was highly unlikely, and Merlin was concerned. “She was going to try and get some rest before our journey; maybe we should go wake her up.”

“Merlin, Morgana can barely sleep for an hour without waking.” He slung the bag of supplies over his shoulder. “I’m sure she’d be here if she wanted to be.”

Merlin began to protest, but Arthur interrupted before he could start.

“Look, we need to be away from the city before the sun comes up, we don’t have time for this. Morgana is much safer here in her bed than out there with us, so will you please hurry up?”

Merlin conceded his point and helped Arthur out of the window. After both of them had landed on their faces, they cleaned themselves off and made their way to the stables. They led their horses out to the edge of the grounds before mounting and starting on their way.

\---

When Guinevere came into Morgana’s chambers, she was surprised to find her mistress fast asleep. The sun had been up for hours, and Morgana normally would’ve woken long ago. She went over to the bed and called, “Morgana?”

Morgana didn’t so much as flinch, so Gwen started to lightly shake her shoulder. “Morgana.” When she still received no response, she become more insistent and shook Morgana harder. “Morgana!”

Finally Morgana opened her eyes, surveying her surroundings. It took her a second, but she sprung up into a sitting position, asking, “What time is it?”

“It’s nearly midday.”

Morgana quickly got out of bed, throwing on her shoes and a dress robe.

“Morgana?” Gwen questioned, but she was ignored.

Morgana ran out of her chambers and down the hall until she reached Arthur’s door. She noticed the guards there and smiled sweetly at them. “I’m just here to see the prince.”

The guards stepped aside and let her in the room. As soon as she was inside she knew she was too late. Arthur’s bed was empty and his window open. She noticed that his sword was missing as well. Knowing that there was no way she could catch them, she lowered herself onto Arthur’s bed and sulked. Hopefully Merlin would look out for Arthur, but she feared that this challenge would have devastating consequences.

\---

It took Arthur and Merlin nearly a whole days ride to reach Morgause’s destination. The horse had done most of the navigating and did not stop to rest often, so both Arthur and Merlin were confused and tired by the journey’s end.

As they rode under a waterfall, Merlin questioned, “Are you sure about this, Arthur?”

“If she knows anything about my mother, Merlin, I have to know.”

Merlin nodded, understanding the desire to know about one’s parent. He continued to ride alongside Arthur until they reached what looked like an abandoned castle.

They dismounted their horses and walked up the stone steps to an enclosed courtyard. There was an axe sticking out of a block of wood, but otherwise there was nothing there.

Arthur called out, “Now what?”

Just as Merlin opened his mouth to suggest that they leave, Morgause appeared at the top of a staircase in a glittering red gown.

“You kept your promise.” She descended the stairs and walked towards Arthur.

“What is the nature of the challenge you wish to set me?” Arthur asked.

Morgause replied, “Place your head on the block.” She lifted up the axe to clear a space for his head. At Arthur’s hesitation, she continued, “You gave me your word.”

As Arthur bent down to place his head on the block, Merlin yelled, “What are you doing? I won’t let you do this!” His heart was pounding; it couldn’t possibly end this way. Desperately, he tried, “Think about Morgana! You can’t just leave her!”

Arthur shut his eyes, trying to block out the painful images of Morgana that crossed through his mind. He ground out, “Stay out of this, Merlin.”

Morgause lifted up the axe, preparing to swing it at Arthur’s exposed neck. As she lifted it, Merlin struggled to stay still, but before he could try and stop her, she set the axe down on the ground. She walked away from the block, explaining, “You have shown that you are truly a man of your word, Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur jumped up off of the ground, confused and aggravated.

Morgause turned back to look at him. “And for that I will grant you one wish. Tell me what it is that your heart most desires.”

It was surprising that Morgana’s face was the first he thought of before he remembered his true purpose for coming here. “You said you knew my mother. Tell me all that you know about her.”

“Perhaps you would like to see her.”

Arthur’s heart lurched at the thought. “I want that more than anything.”

Morgause smiled, “As you wish.”

\---

Morgana went back to her chambers, wondering how it was possible that she had slept so well. She hadn’t had a single nightmare, only pleasant dreams of happier days when she and Arthur were young. It seemed bizarre that the nightmares would vanish this way, the only other restful night she could recall was when she had stayed in Arthur’s bed.

As she entered her room, she noticed something out of place. There was a silver and gold bracelet on the armoire by her bed. She picked it up, recognizing it as the bracelet that Morgause had worn. Morgause had said it would help her sleep; perhaps this was the cause of her restful night.

For a moment, Morgana contemplated wearing the bracelet, but then she remembered that Arthur was still away on his challenge set by Morgause. The thought left an unpleasant taste in her mouth, and she threw the bracelet into a drawer.

\---

As night fell, Morgause prepared an altar with candles for her spell.

Arthur and Merlin waited impatiently. Merlin was uneasy, but Arthur was too eager to be worried. His fear of magic had all but disappeared now that he knew of Morgana’s powers, and he was willing to trust Morgause.

As the spell started, time seemed to slow, and Merlin watched from a distance as Arthur’s mother suddenly appeared from the mist.

Arthur opened his eyes to the sound of his mother calling his name, the sound something so comforting and warm.

Merlin observed as they embraced, and tried not to eavesdrop as Arthur discussed his guilt over his mother’s death. However, he eventually heard something that forced him to pay attention. Arthur’s mother was explaining that Uther was to blame for her death, not Arthur. She mentioned Nimueh and Merlin could no longer pretend not to hear.

“You were born of magic,” Ygraine whispered.

Arthur shook his head and brokenly murmured, “It’s not true.”

“I’m sorry Arthur; your father has deceived you as he deceived me. To create a life, a life must be taken, your father knew that!”

“No,” Arthur cried.

“He sacrificed my life so the Pendragon dynasty could continue. It makes you no less my son, nor me any less proud of you. Now I see you, I would’ve given my life willingly,” she continued. 

Tears slowly trickled down Arthur’s cheeks and he closed his eyes.

“Do not let this knowledge change you,” Ygriane pleaded.

Arthur shook his head, keeping his eyes shut against the pain. As he opened them, he noticed his mother was gone.

\---

Morgana stared out the window for hours, waiting for Arthur’s return. She finally saw the two figures riding in that she was waiting for, and she smiled when she found them both unharmed. However, as Arthur drew his sword and angrily stormed into the castle, she knew something was wrong.

Only minutes later, she found Merlin at her door, panting and looking terrified. “You have to come with me.” He grabbed Morgana’s hand and pulled her out of her room, dragging her through the corridors.

As they reached the Great Hall, Morgana finally managed to ask, “Merlin, what is going on?”

“You have to stop him. You’re the only one who can get through to him,” he begged.

She was lost, and spluttered, “What?”

“Arthur. He’s going to try and kill the king.”

Morgana immediately paled, but didn’t hesitate to act. She promptly told Leon to step aside and entered the Great Hall to find Arthur and Uther locked in a violent swordfight.

Arthur knocked Uther’s sword away and shoved his father down into a chair, holding his sword threateningly over Uther’s heart.

Morgana ran forward, screaming, “Arthur! No!”

Arthur couldn’t bear to look at her, but he managed to say, “Morgana, get out of here.”

She stood her ground, softly replying, “No. I won’t leave you.”

“You don’t understand. My mother is dead because of him!” he yelled.

The news came as a shock, but she couldn’t let it show. She had to be strong for him. “Arthur, please, you cannot do this.”

"Listen to her, Arthur," Uther reasoned. "You know I wouldn't--" His attempt was silenced by a withering glare from Morgana.

Arthur still held his sword against his father’s heart, not able to let this go. “He is a hypocrite, Morgana! After everything he has done, do you truly believe he deserves to live? He executes those who use magic, and yet he has used it himself!” His voice was trembling from the force of his anger. “He almost killed _you_ , Morgana!”

The weight of Arthur’s grief was almost too much to bear, and Morgana felt herself crying. “I know, Arthur. But this is not the way. If you do this, you are no better than him!”

He stared down his father, his hatred suddenly blinding. “He has caused so much suffering and pain. I will put an end to that.”

Morgana agreed, “You’re right, Arthur, you will. But not like this.” She found herself moving closer to Arthur. “Uther will have to pay for his sins someday, but if you kill him now, it will destroy you.”

Arthur wavered, but still did not take down his sword. “Morgana, please.”

She held in her tears and forcefully demanded, “No.” She was filled up with determination, knowing where this path would lead. “I will not lose you, Arthur. Do not let him take you away from me.” Taking another step forward, she laid her hand on his shoulder. “Hasn’t he taken enough already?”

Arthur could feel her hand against his neck and he reluctantly lowered his sword. He was still shaking from the strength of his emotions, and he looked down at his father once more. “From this day forward, I am no longer your son.”

"Arthur..." Uther started, unable to find the words to soothe his furious son.

Morgana took a hold of Arthur's hand and pulled him away from his father. She led him out of the hall, leaving Uther behind.

Arthur seemed almost comatose, and Morgana had to take each step carefully as she walked him to his chambers. Once they were there, she waited a moment to see if he would speak to her. At his silence, she lowered him down to sit on his bed and took his sword out of his limp fingers. She carefully set it down and then began to remove his armor piece by piece. She didn’t say anything, knowing that he would talk to her when he was ready.

As Morgana helped him remove his chainmail over his head, he spoke. It was nearly inaudible, but he told her in a small, broken voice, “I was born of magic.”

She faltered in her movements, but gave him a small smile, trying to help. “Now we have something in common.”

He nodded stiffly, still barely functioning.

Morgana finished up taking off all his armor and set it on a table before coming to kneel in front of him. She placed two fingers under his chin and tilted his face up until he met her eyes. “This doesn’t change who you are, Arthur.” She dropped her hand from his face, trying not to let his expression break her heart. “Do you want me to leave?”

He grabbed her hand as it was falling from his face, holding it tightly in his grasp. His lifeless eyes suddenly lit with a fire, and he slipped a hand behind her head, pulling her in closer. Staring into her green eyes from only an inch away, he whispered, “Never,” before crashing his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss.

He absolutely stole her breath away and Morgana remained frozen for a second before she began to respond. His kiss was demanding and greedy, full of pain and desire, and nothing like she had imagined her first kiss with Arthur would be. Yet, despite that, she couldn’t pull away.

Arthur eagerly sucked at her lips, his fingers threading through her hair as he held her against him. He felt like he was drowning, and she was his safe harbor. His tongue probed against her lips, and he breathed a sigh of contentment into her mouth as they parted and allowed him access.

Morgana’s head was swimming from the new sensations. Her mind was going blank and leaving her with nothing but lust to fill her up. The insistent pressure upon her lips was delicious, and she greedily took everything he was offering her.

Arthur slowly stood from the bed, bringing her up with him and pulling her flush against his body. 

Morgana moaned at the feeling of his warmth as it drew her in, and she suddenly felt as though she never wanted to be anywhere but in his arms.

Arthur’s kisses grew deeper and more forceful, and he spun them around, lowering Morgana to the bed under him. He braced his weight above her on the bed as he broke free from her lips to kiss a path down her neck.

She gasped at the feeling, but soon crashed back to earth as she felt the wetness of tears on her skin. Releasing her death grip on his hair, she smoothed her fingers over his neck.

A sob abruptly racked through his body and he cried out against her skin. His kisses slowed and he collapsed on top of her, unable to hold in his despair any longer.

Morgana soothingly brushed her fingers through his hair, murmuring unintelligible words of comfort. She pulled herself up the bed and propped her back against the pillows, dragging Arthur with her. Fighting her own tears, she cradled his head against her stomach as he continued to cry.

They both laid there until exhaustion set in and Arthur fell asleep. Morgana reached down and tugged a blanket over them both, refusing to leave his side until morning.


	8. The Lady of the Lake

The aftermath of Morgause’s challenge and what followed left Arthur a shell of who he was. For weeks, he shut himself away, barely speaking or eating. He even turned Morgana away most days, and when he did see her, it wasn’t the same. He was grieving for so much, his mother, his relationship with his father, his sense of self. Morgana wanted to fix it, but only time would help him heal.

Uther was struggling as well, not that Morgana cared. The king had half-heartedly thanked her for intervening and saving his life, but she told him quite plainly that it had only been for Arthur’s sake.

Eventually, Uther realized that he had to take steps to get his son to forgive him, but he never was good at showing remorse. He went to see Arthur, posting guards at the door in case it became violent. At the sight of his son staring emptily out the window, he found himself saying, “You have every right to hate me, Arthur.”

Arthur continued to stare, unmoved by his father’s statement.

“I know that you may never trust me again, but believe me when I tell you that I never wanted to harm your mother. The things I did…” He exhaled a shaky breath, struggling to explain himself. “It was wrong. I know that. It was a foolish mistake. My desire to have a son blinded me to what I knew to be true: that sorcery was and always will be dangerous. And my lapse in judgment cost me your mother.”

Arthur was listening intently, but he couldn’t string any of his thoughts together to form words.

“Hate me all you want, but do not let your hatred trick you into believing that sorcery can be used for good. My crusade against magic isn’t because of my guilt, Arthur. The fact that it took your mother only opened my eyes to its true nature.” Desperately trying to convey his point, he hissed, “It is pure evil.”

At that, a dry, humorless laugh escaped Arthur’s lips. “You’re wrong.”

Uther scowled, disappointed in his son. “Just remember, Arthur, whether or not you wish to think of me as your father, I am still your king.” 

Arthur finally turned his head away from the window and assessed his father, finding the man looking considerably older than he had in the weeks before.

His kingly manner now fully in place, Uther continued, “While you live under my command, you will follow my orders. If you still wish to someday be the King of Camelot, it would be wise for you to show me some respect.”

The anger bubbled up under the surface, the first real emotion he had felt in days. He ground his teeth together to keep from screaming. When he finally spoke, it was a harsh, gravelly sound. “Understood.” He faced the window again, wordlessly dismissing his father.

Uther left, accepting that the feud was over. His son may despise him, but Arthur would still abide his rule, and that was all that mattered.

\---

Arthur slowly started functioning after that visit, albeit begrudgingly. He still disagreed with most of the decisions his father made, but he knew that he had a duty to Camelot and could not abandon them for his own petty personal reasons. He started to fall back into normal routines, which included Morgana stopping by more frequently. She hadn’t pried, but he knew she was curious about what had transpired between him and Morgause. As she stopped by for what was becoming her daily visit, he decided to tell her the whole story.

Morgana was curled up in a chair with her feet tucked up under her legs and a blanket around her shoulders. The sun had gone down since they had first started talking and she had grown cold. 

Arthur had been pacing the room as he started the story, but by the end he settled into a chair as well.

After Arthur explained what had happened that day, Morgana found herself asking, “What was she like? Your mother.”

A sad smile ghosted across his lips. “She was beautiful,” he murmured. “So gentle and warm. Better than my imagination.”

Morgana smiled at that. “I wish I could’ve seen her.” 

Arthur nodded, feeling brighter at the small memory of his mother, “I think she would’ve liked you.”

She grinned wider, brushing off the obvious compliment. “Well, everyone loves me.”

Arthur shook his head, chuckling to himself. “Yes, I can see why.”

Laughing lightly, Morgana unfurled one leg and reached over to nudge his thigh with her foot. When he met her eyes, she smiled sincerely at him. “I’m glad you got to see her, Arthur. At least now you have a clear picture of her when you close your eyes.”

He hummed in agreement, happy for that as well.

After a few minutes, they fell into a silence that would normally be comfortable, but there was something heavy hanging in the air, and they both knew it. During these past weeks, Arthur had been so despondent and Morgana so focused on fixing him that neither had thought to bring up the kiss they had shared. 

Morgana knew that the kiss had been in desperation; it was Arthur’s way of coping, and she refused to read more into it. His whole world had been ripped away, and she had been the only thing left for him to cling to, that was all.

The silence grew deafening, and Arthur eventually had to speak. “Morgana… about, you know, what happened with us—”

Although she had wanted him to bring it up before, she suddenly was terrified of the prospect of Arthur rejecting her. Unwilling to let him ruin whatever it was they had, she didn’t give him the chance to finish. “Arthur, it’s fine.”

His mouth snapped shut mid-word and he narrowed his eyes at her, unsure of where this was heading. “Fine?” he questioned.

She spit out the line she had been rehearsing in her head. “You were upset and I was there. It didn’t mean anything.” She shrugged her shoulders to express her feigned nonchalance.

Arthur struggled with her comment, trying to figure out whether or not it bothered him. His forehead creased in confusion and he had to swallow past the newly formed lump in his throat. Eventually he nodded and spoke, forcing a chipper tone. “Right then. Glad that’s settled.”

Morgana nodded in return, feeling slightly uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. She threw off the blanket and stretched out her legs before standing. “It’s late. I should go.” Part of her hoped he would stop her, but he said nothing as she walked out the door.

\---

Arthur slowly began to find a way to work alongside with his father, but news of the druid girl’s escape made things difficult. Arthur was content to let the girl go, but it was his duty to lead his men and to find and eliminate any threats to Camelot. A simple girl seemed harmless to him, but the bounty hunter swore that she was dangerous and Uther demanded that she be found.

The bounty hunter even tried interrogating Merlin, but Arthur quickly put a stop to it. He may not be able to stop the search for the girl, but he would not stand idly by and watch his friends be harassed for crimes they didn’t commit.

Thankfully the focus on the girl was soon usurped by the news of several murders in the lower town. Arthur went to investigate and determined that they must have been an animal attack. When there were no tracks to be found, however, Uther’s mind immediately went to sorcery. 

Arthur knew that magic could be used for evil, he had seen it, but all the revelations in his life recently made it difficult to rectify his past beliefs with his new ones. He needed Morgana and her level head for guidance on this, but he was reluctant to seek her out, knowing her personal investment in the problem.

Forcing himself to find a way on his own, he resolved to protect his people, no matter what that might entail.

\---

Morgana was readying herself for dinner when she heard her door open. Whoever it was came in quietly, and it made Morgana apprehensive. She caught the noise of rustling in her closet and immediately stepped out from behind the screen, ready to fight her intruder. The man was bent over searching through her dresses and Morgana grabbed one of her shoes to throw if necessary. She poised to attack, holding up the shoe, when suddenly the man turned around.

Incredulously, Morgana asked, “Merlin?”

He started at the sound, dropping the dress he was holding. “Oh, Lady Morgana. I didn’t know you were in here.”

She raised an eyebrow at him quizzically. “What are you doing in my closet?”

Stammering, he tried to think of a plausible excuse. “Um, well, I was just… there are moths you know, I wanted to check to see—”

Morgana saw right through him and cut off his blabbering. “Merlin, don’t make me throw this shoe at you.”

His skin flushed pink, knowing that he had been caught. “Look, Morgana…”

“I want the truth, Merlin. Unless you want me to tell Arthur that you’ve been sneaking around in my chambers?” She knew Arthur was scarier than her shoe, at any rate.

Sighing, he admitted, “I need one of your dresses.”

“Please tell me it’s not for Arthur,” she deadpanned.

Merlin shook his head, trying not to laugh. “It’s for… it’s for a friend.”

“And your friend doesn’t have dresses of her own?”

Realizing that Morgana would understand better than anyone else, he gave up all pretenses of being cryptic. “Morgana, it’s for the druid girl.”

Morgana slowly set down the shoe on her end-table. “You know where she is?”

Merlin nodded. “I need to help her escape the city. She’s a good person, Morgana. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Morgana understood completely. “Of course.” She walked over to stand beside him and bent down to look through the mess he had made, searching her closet for things that would help. She pulled out a purple dressing gown and a pair of shoes to match. “Here, these should work.” As Merlin assessed the dress, she explained, “The hem isn’t too long so she won’t trip if she has to run.”

He smiled graciously at her, thankful for her understanding. “I appreciate it, Morgana. I won’t forget this.”

His tone sounded rather final, but Morgana decided not to question it. “Do you need any other help? I’m sure I could get some horses, or food—”

“We’ll be fine. Thank you for the clothes, though. I know Freya will be grateful as well.” There was no hiding the glee on his face as he spoke the girl’s name, and Morgana noticed.

“Freya?” Morgana inquired. “You seem quite fond of this girl, Merlin.”

He smiled sheepishly, but didn’t deny it.

Morgana shook her head, amused by his clear infatuation. “Go on, then. I’m sure she’s waiting.”

He gave her one last smile before slipping out of her chambers into the hall. As he rounded a corner, he collided with something hard. As he looked up, he saw that it was Arthur’s chest. “Arthur!” he squeaked. He immediately tried to hide the dress from view.

Merlin’s attempts were unsuccessful, however, and Arthur eyed him suspiciously. “Merlin…” He reached forward and grabbed the dress to inspect it. “Is this Morgana’s dress?”

“Uh, yes,” he admitted.

Arthur was clearly not pleased. “And why do you have it?”

His mouth was quicker than his brain, and he blurted, “The Lady Morgana gave it to me.”

The prince’s brow furrowed, still convinced that something was amiss. “And why would she do that?”

Clinging to his earlier attempt at an excuse, he exclaimed, “Moths!”

“Moths.” Arthur restated the word, looking for a further explanation.

“Yes. They infested her closet. She asked me to take this dress and-- and burn it.” He grinned stupidly, hoping that his lie was sufficient.

Fed up with the conversation, Arthur blew out a breath and shook his head. “Whatever you say, Merlin.”

Merlin pulled the dress back from Arthur’s fingers and took off down the hall.

\---

The beast had started killing more, and everyone was growing worried. Gaius was searching for the name of the creature, but other than that, no one knew anything other than the brief whisperings of scared townspeople.

Morgana knew it was taking a toll on Arthur to hunt for this beast, especially under his father’s command, but she didn’t want to push. Normally she would give him advice whether he wanted it or not, but he was still at a fragile stage. So she waited.

Thankfully, her patience was rewarded, because late in the night, there was a knock at her door. She slipped out of bed and opened the door a crack, finding Arthur standing there.

He rubbed at the back of his head nervously, regretting his decision all of a sudden. “Sorry, I know it’s late.”

She shook her head to show that it was fine and opened the door to let him in. Her room was dark save for the window, but thankfully it was a full moon and the light was enough so they could see. “Is everything alright, Arthur?”

He sighed deeply and lowered himself to sit on her bed. “I need you to show me.”

Morgana cocked her head at him, not comprehending his request.

He continued, “I need to see it-- to know that it’s not all bad. I know that if it’s in you, it must be something good and pure, but I…” he trailed off, unable to explain it any further.

She smiled at him, understanding. “You want to see my magic.”

“It’s hard, Morgana. My whole life, magic was evil, and then there’s _you_. But there’s the beast as well, and I just...”

She sat down next to him, shushing him gently. “I know.” She exhaled a slow breath, feeling the weight of the same burden. “It’s not all black and white, Arthur. I struggled with this same thing when I learned of my magic.”

He looked at her, the clear plea for a sense of clarity in his eyes.

Morgana went on, “It’s the people who are evil, magic or no magic.”

Stiffly, he nodded. He understood that, but a battle continued to rage inside him. Quietly, he pressed, “Still, could I, perhaps?”

A slight smile quirked at the edge of her lips and she reached over to her bedside table. There was a candlestick sitting there unlit, and she almost grabbed it before stopping and pulling her hand back. The power of the fire scared even her, and she wanted to assuage his fears, not increase them. Settling back onto the bed, she decided on something else. She looked over at him and bashfully admitted, “This might not work. I’m not very good at this yet.”

The simple thought of Morgana struggling to do anything seemed to ease the tightness around his heart.

She clasped her hands together and stared down at them intently. She whispered an incantation under her breath and her eyes glowed gold.

Arthur was unnerved by the sight of her eyes, but he didn’t move from her side.

Morgana let out a breath and opened her hands, hoping it had worked. Seeing what was in her hands, she smiled to herself at her success. She cautiously brought her cupped hands over to Arthur, showing him what was there.

A small smile appeared on his lips and he reached into her hands to pick up what she had created. “A flower? This is difficult for you?” The insult rolled easily off his tongue.

It didn’t sting, however, since Morgana knew it was a good sign that he was feeling lighter. “Let’s see you conjure something out of thin air, Arthur; then you can make jokes.”

He chuckled, knowing she had a point. He pinched the small white flower between his fingers and brought it up to Morgana’s eye level. He reached over and tucked it behind her ear, pushing her hair out of the way so that the flower was visible. “There.”

The gesture was sweet, and Morgana found herself grinning.

The sight of her, happy and glowing, with a flower in her hair reminded him that everything had a light side, if you looked hard enough. Magic included. “Do think slaying this beast is the right thing to do?” he asked.

The question gave her pause. “Arthur, I know that you want to be trusting of magic, but there is a line that must be drawn. This creature, it is killing people. I do not condone mindless killing of those with magic, but that is true of both sides. If this creature is hurting people, it should be stopped.”

He ducked his head and stared down at his lap. “I know. But sometimes I just think, if it were you…”

“If it were me, I’d want you to stop me, Arthur.”

The thought of hurting Morgana made him feel physically ill, but he understood her point. “Thank you.”

Smiling softly at him, she advised, “Trust your heart, Arthur. You’ll know what is right.”

\---

As Morgana slept later that night, she began to dream. Ever since she had hidden Morgause’s bracelet, her nightmares had come back full force. The images consumed her unconscious mind, causing her to see terrible things that may come to pass.

Flashes of a terrifying monster with the body of a cat and wings of a bird went through her head. The creature was attacking the city, its teeth and claws bared. Arthur was there, in the square, preparing to fight. Another flash and the square was stained with red. The creature had delved its talons deep into Arthur’s chest and tore his heart out of his body, leaving his lifeless form to fall to the stones below. 

Morgana thrashed in her sleep, tears streaming down her cheeks. She saw a final image, the creature slinking into the shadows and transforming into a girl about her age. The girl had brown hair and kind eyes, and… was wearing Morgana’s purple dress.

Finally escaping the horrible nightmare, Morgana shot straight up in bed, the terrified scream caught in her throat. Her chest heaved from fear and exhaustion and her nightgown was soaked from sweat. Before she could stop herself, she threw on a fur stole and a pair of shoes and ran towards Gaius’s chambers.

She burst into Merlin’s room, finding him there packing his things. “Merlin!” she cried out.

At the sound of her frantic voice, he whipped his head up to look at her.

“It’s Freya,” she breathed. “She’s the beast.” Morgana had taken a hold of his sleeve and was grasping onto him desperately, the terror of her nightmare still fresh.

He shook his head, vehemently denying the accusation. “No, Morgana.”

“I saw it, Merlin! If we don’t stop her, she’s going to kill Arthur.” Her eyes were hollow and distant, but there was no mistaking the truth hidden there. “Please,” she pleaded. “Is this worth Arthur’s life?”

Merlin shoved her off, unable to face reality. He barreled out of the quarters with his things and went to find Freya.

As he left, Morgana covered her face with her hands, holding in the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to swallow her whole. 

\---

In the hours just before dawn, after Morgana left Gaius’s chambers, she heard the warning bells go off. She knew what it meant, and she took off running towards the square. Her dream was coming true sooner than she had expected.

As she exited the castle, the cool air blasted against her face and made her wrap her stole tighter around her shoulders. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating the walls of the castle that loomed above her.

Out in the center of the square, a group of knights came pouring in, cornering a young girl. The girl begged them not to hurt her, and even from yards away, Morgana could feel Arthur’s distress. 

Arthur stepped forward slowly, an offer to keep her safe frozen on his tongue. Before he could manage to say anything, the bounty hunter pushed past him, shackles at the ready.

Freya was on the brink of tears. “Please.”

Suddenly, the clock tolled loudly, echoing off the cobblestones. Morgana watched with baited breath as Freya threw her head back and screamed.

The bounty hunter dropped the shackles and the knights backed away as the beautiful girl transformed into a terrifying monster.

Arthur didn’t move, too busy fighting with himself. Just as he had come to terms with the idea of saving the girl and killing the beast, he was faced with something new.

Freya’s monster lunged forward, easily slaughtering her previous captor.

Left without a choice, Arthur sprung into action and ordered his men to fight. He drew his sword and struck out with it, cutting a gash into the creature’s arm.

At the wound, the beast took off in the other direction, and Morgana sighed. If Freya left, this would be over, and everyone would be safe. But no sooner had the thought appeared in her mind that it was dashed. The knights followed the creature, cornering her against a wall.

The creature could easily fend off the men at first, batting them aside like dolls and flying over their heads. However, she was weakened and scared, and Morgana knew how this could end.

Morgana started running towards the melee, tearing her skirts to tatters across the stones.

The majority of the men had been detained by the beast, but Arthur carried on; his sense of duty stronger than anything else. He attacked the beast, sprinting towards it with his sword held high. He cut at it, but his sword found no purchase, and then unexpectedly, the beast’s talons were lodged in his chest, lifting him from the ground.

Morgana screamed at the top of her lungs.

As Arthur dangled there from the end of the beast’s paw, he could hear the faint sound of Morgana’s wail. He felt as if the air rippled around him and the earth shook, and then he was back on the ground. He fell to his knees, clutching at his chest. In a sluggish movement, he lifted his head and searched for the beast. He found it thirty paces away, crushed against the far wall. Craning his neck, he saw Morgana standing there, her chest heaving from exertion and her hands shaking with tremors.

A mournful cry passed her lips as she stared over at the beast’s broken body. She lifted her quivering hands up and stared at them in awe and disbelief.

Arthur could plainly see her falling into the deep expanse of grief and called out to her. “Morgana.”

The sound of Arthur’s voice broke the trance, and Morgana snapped her head back around to stare at her fallen prince. She darted over to him and carefully lifted him up off the ground. Focusing her mind on helping Arthur, she wrapped one of his arms around her shoulder to help him stand.

As they hobbled inside of the castle, Arthur whispered, “Thank you.”

\---

Morgana was struggling to breathe, the aftershocks of the magic still racking through her body. Along with that was the guilt, and the horrifying truth that she was capable of greater things than she had ever anticipated.

Pushing all of that down, she forced herself to help bandage the wounded knights. Camelot was safe, and so was Arthur. She couldn’t focus on anything else.

She was busy dipping rags in an antiseptic when she felt the weight of a warm hand on the back of her neck.

“Think you could patch me up?”

Morgana nodded, keeping her eyes down as Arthur made his way around to sit on the edge of the table in front of her. 

He noticed her meek display and despised the sight of it down to his core. Morgana was bright and uncontrollable, but something out in the square had stolen that, leaving her cold.

She picked up a clean rag and dabbed it at Arthur’s wounds, the sight of the gashes churning her stomach. The contrast of his smooth skin against the garish marks made her dizzy, and she lost her concentration. Her fingers began to trail down his chest, unable to resist the pull of his warmth.

Arthur gently caught her fingers in his hand, and with it caught her attention. “Morgana. You are not to blame. You saved my life.”

Her green eyes searched his for some sort of answers, not unlike his own quest a day before. She whispered, “She was like me. And I killed her.”

Arthur shook his head, clutching her fingers tighter against his palm. “No. Maybe the girl was like you, but there was a beast that took hold of her, and whether she wanted it or not, it made her darker. It made her a monster. You had no choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Arthur,” she murmured.

“Perhaps. But it will never be easy. It’s grey, remember? There is no obvious decision to make. We trust our hearts, and do what we must.”

She nodded numbly, a tear trailing across her cheek. “Maybe that monster is in all of us.”

Using his hold on her hand, he yanked her sharply forward until their noses nearly touched. He whispered fiercely, “Not you. I won’t lose you to the dark, Morgana. I won’t.”

She shuddered from the force of his resolve. There was no denying his conviction, however, so she replied, “You either.”

He smiled at her across the gap between them before leaning back. “Good.” He gradually released her hand, letting her fingers remain upon his skin for as long as possible.

The guilt was still seeded deep into her soul, but she felt better knowing that Arthur wouldn’t let it devour her. At least not today.

\---

After the men had been healed and taken away, Morgana made her way to find Merlin. He had been missing from the commotion, and she knew clearly where he would have gone. According to several guards, the beast had mysteriously vanished after the fight. Morgana prayed that perhaps she had not killed the girl after all.

She opened the door to Merlin’s room quietly. He was curled up on his bed, and the sight was not a pleasant sign. Morgana took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Merlin.”

He looked up at her, his eyes overwhelmed with sorrow. His mouth was drawn in a hard line, however, and there was a hint of malice in his stare.

On a rush, she apologized, “I am so sorry. I never intended to harm her.”

Merlin sat up to better look at his visitor, but didn’t say a word.

“I don’t know what came over me. She was going to kill Arthur, I had to stop her.” At his deliberate silence, she began to wring her hands. 

Finally, he muttered, “I trusted you, Morgana. I helped you with your magic. And you murdered her with it.”

The words bit into her as they settled across her ears. Forcing herself to stay strong, she continued, her tone hardened by his anger, “I warned you that she would harm him, but you paid me no heed. You are just as much to blame.”

Merlin glared at her, too consumed by his pain to comprehend Morgana’s sincere regret. “Get out.”

She took a step back, indulging his request. As she turned the knob on the door, she repeated, “I truly am sorry.”

Once outside the door, Morgana could hear the faint sobs through the wood. She bit down on her bottom lip and hurried back to her own chambers.

\---

In the following days, Merlin kept Morgana at a distance. Morgana allowed him to grieve, especially since she needed to do the same. She started to accept that she had done the right thing by saving Arthur, and she felt better, but it was difficult.

Arthur wanted to talk to her, but waited until he knew that she was doing better. Later that week, he noticed an exchange between Merlin and Morgana. Merlin smiled over at her, and in return Morgana lit up like a spark. Arthur was unaware of the reasoning behind it, but he knew that Morgana was close to being back to herself.

After finally getting something other than a glower from Merlin, Morgana started to hope for the future again. She knew he didn’t completely trust her, but he didn’t despise her either, which was a start.

\---

Once Morgana was feeling better, Arthur went to see her, needing to discuss something that had been weighing on his mind.

She had just finished bathing and was brushing her hair when Arthur came in her room. She was accustomed to his lack of manners, so she simply allowed him to come in without asking. “Good evening, Arthur.”

He decided to just come out with it, since he may never say it otherwise. “Morgana, you said something before, and it… it made me think.”

Morgana chuckled, “Well that’s a feat.”

Briefly scowling at her, he explained, “You said that what happened between us, that it meant nothing.”

She was surprised that he would bring this up, since she thought they had laid it to rest. Knowing there was no good way to respond to him, she simply nodded in reply.

“You were wrong.”

The shock must have been evident on her face, but she could not stop it. “Arthur, what—”

“Look, I don’t know what it means, Morgana. But I know that it meant something.” He ran his fingers through his hair, effectively mussing it in his anxiousness. Before he lost his nerve, or Morgana ruined it all, he added, “It wasn’t just because I needed someone. It was because it was you.”

Morgana gaped at him, desperately trying to find something to say in return. Part of her wanted to tell him that he was wrong, to put a stop to all of it, but she sat there, unable to speak at all.

He was uncharacteristically nervous, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “I just thought you should know.” He backed up, accidentally knocking into a table.

She closed her mouth and smiled at him, hoping she could convey her feelings well enough without words.

Arthur smiled back before coughing again. “Well, I’ll let you finish brushing your hair and all.” He smiled once more and ducked out into the hall.

Morgana had no idea what all this meant, but hopefully if things were about to change, it was for the better.


	9. Sweet Dreams

As the rulers of the five kingdoms and their men rode down the road to Camelot, Arthur and Morgana watched with Uther up on the turrets. Morgana sighed as she gazed out over the newcomers. She enjoyed visitors, really, but the last time one of the kings had visited, she had been harassed hopelessly by several of the knights, and frankly she wasn’t in the mood to entertain their egos at present.

Arthur noticed her melancholy expression and nudged her shoulder with his own. He whispered, “Praying that Sir Julian isn’t in attendance?”

Glaring over at him, she retorted, “I can handle him and his arrogant friends just fine, Arthur.”

He sarcastically hummed in agreement. “Yes, of course, which is why I had to lock him in the stables for a whole day.”

Morgana huffed, “I never asked you to do that.”

Defending his decision, he blurted, “He made you cry!”

“I was thirteen and he had torn my favorite dress, of course I cried, Arthur.”

Arthur rolled his eyes, frustrated with Morgana’s stubborn desire to be independent. He noticed King Olaf riding along the path, his beautiful daughter in tow. “Well, you needn’t be too worried, Morgana. I’m sure Lady Vivian will be more than enough to keep the attention of all the knights.”

Despite her best efforts, it was clear that the statement made her slightly jealous. Clenching her jaw, she snapped, “You know perfectly well that Olaf would have their heads before they could so much as breathe on her.”

Enjoying Morgana’s jealousy, he continued, “I’m not afraid of Olaf.” As the Kings neared the main square, Uther beckoned for Arthur to come and greet them. Arthur turned to Morgana and grinned. “I think I’ll go welcome Lady Vivian now.”

As he left her up on the turrets, she called out, “Enjoy your last moments, Arthur!” Frustrated by his constant ability to annoy her, she stormed off to find Gwen and vent.

\---

By the time Arthur had shown Lady Vivian to her chambers, he already was tired of being in her presence. She was rude and callous, and never seemed to stop talking. They had seen Morgana walking from across the courtyard and Vivian had made a snide comment about her, which made Arthur’s blood boil.

Morgana and Guinevere met Arthur in Lady Vivian’s chambers, since Gwen would be in the Lady Vivian’s service for the duration of her stay. Morgana quietly wished Gwen good luck and ducked out into the hall.

Arthur set down Lady Vivian’s belongings and explained, “Guinevere will be attending to you during your stay. She is the Lady Morgana’s personal maid, and one of our finest servants.”

Lady Vivian scoffed. “From the looks of Lady Morgana’s hair I think I would rather be left to my own devices.”

“I really don’t see anything wrong with—” His angry tirade was cut off by a quick stamp to the top of his foot, courtesy of Gwen’s heel.

Guinevere gave him a look that clearly said to be quiet, and Arthur obliged.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he quickly added, “I think you’ll be quite comfortable here.”

Lady Vivian laughed to herself, “Oh, I highly doubt that.”

In order to prevent further problems, Guinevere curtseyed respectfully and dragged Arthur out of the chambers and away from Lady Vivian.

After the door had been closed, Arthur turned to Gwen, frustration marring his features. “Could she be any ruder?”

Gwen did her best not to laugh, but she found herself grinning.

Arthur was still bordering on irate over Lady Vivian’s comments. “I mean, did you hear how she insulted Morgana?” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Lady Vivian should only wish to be half the woman Morgana is.”

“You care a lot about her, don’t you?” Guinevere asked.

Arthur’s eyes went wide. “Lady Vivian? Honestly, Guinevere—”

Laughing, she amended, “Lady Morgana.”

His slack jaw snapped shut, and his cheeks pinkened slightly. “Well, I should I suppose, I mean—of course, it’s Morgana, I… I’ve always—” He trailed off, coughing uncomfortably.

Gwen smiled knowingly, impressed that even the mention of Morgana was enough to make the prince babble. “If it’s not too bold, Arthur, I think you should tell her.”

He shrugged his shoulders slightly, brushing it off. “I’m sure she knows.”

“Still. It wouldn’t hurt to remind her, would it?”

Arthur smiled at Gwen with all her good intentions. He shook his head, laughing lightly. “I’ll think about it.” As he watched Gwen start to beam, he pointed towards Lady Vivian’s chambers as a reminder. “Have fun with that one.”

Gwen’s smile all but vanished and she frowned playfully at him before leaving him to attend to her new temporary mistress.

\---

At the feast that night, Arthur planned on telling Morgana how he felt. Possibly. He really wasn’t too sure of exactly what his feelings were, or how to express them in any way. Merlin was being unusually quiet when it came to the subject of Morgana lately, so any hope of getting advice was gone. 

Morgana seemed to be in a melancholy mood for most of the meal, probably due to the fact that she had been seated next to the Lady Vivian.

Vivian would occasionally chirp some vapid statement about the other guests into Morgana’s ear, to which Morgana would just smile and nod. Thankfully the Trickler’s display seemed to thoroughly distract everyone, including Vivian, so Morgana had a brief period of peace.

Vivian did smirk over at Morgana in satisfaction after the butterfly chose to land on her, but Morgana was unfazed. She caught Arthur’s eyes from across the room and found him grinning in amusement at her predicament. Morgana discreetly glared at him, suddenly wishing that Sir Julian had come on this trip, if only to annoy Arthur.

The feast seemed to stretch on for hours, but finally it came to a close and Morgana politely excused herself. Arthur immediately followed in pursuit, calling out to her as she reached the hallway. “Morgana!”

She stopped and waited for him, leaning back on the stone wall. “I suppose you’re here to laugh about my miserable evening?”

He grinned despite himself, but shook his head. “No. I wanted to speak with you about something.”

Realizing that he was being serious, Morgana stood up from the wall and moved closer to him. “What is it?”

His throat seemed ridiculously dry all of a sudden, and he cursed his nerves. Deciding on a course of action before he lost his will, he asked, “I was wondering, would you like to spend the day with me tomorrow?”

Her face was unreadable as she took in his request. Hesitantly, she began to answer, “Arthur, I—”

Before Morgana could finish, Lady Vivian appeared practically out of thin air and looped her arm through Morgana’s. “Oh, Arthur, she can’t! She’s promised to spend the day with me.”

Arthur was shocked, knowing that spending the day with Vivian would be the last thing she would ever want to do. He met Morgana’s gaze, hoping for an explanation.

Vivian continued, “My father and King Uther suggested it. They thought we could use an escape from all the boring peace talks.”

Morgana faked a grin, her eyes silently screaming at Arthur. She hummed to express her support of the story. Through gritted teeth, she spoke, “Yes, we get to have some girl time.”

Surprisingly, Arthur didn’t look as humored as Morgana had expected. He seemed genuinely disappointed that he would not get to spend the day with her. Accepting that his plan was ruined, he replied, “Well, I hope you two have fun.”

Morgana reached over to carefully squeeze two of his fingers as they dangled loosely at his side. “Soon,” she promised. She pulled her fingers back quickly before Vivian could notice and forced another smile.

Vivian bid Arthur goodnight and pulled Morgana away, chattering on about something. As she left, Morgana looked back at Arthur, feeling suspiciously like she had just missed out on something important.

\---

Arthur woke up with a strange sensation taking hold of him, one he couldn’t seem to shake. He got up and dressed himself without Merlin’s assistance and went to stare out of the window. He noticed Lady Vivian and Morgana in the courtyard, readying for their day together. For some inexplicable reason, Arthur’s gaze was drawn to Lady Vivian as he stared. Somewhere deep down he felt that it was wrong; he had a nagging feeling that he should be looking at the brunette girl instead, but he couldn’t stop himself. A giddy feeling washed over him and he sighed happily.

Merlin entered the prince’s chambers, shocked to find him awake and dressed. “Good morning, sire.”

Sighing, Arthur dreamily responded, “Yes it is. The most beautiful morning I’ve ever seen.”

Merlin cocked his head in confusion. “You’re dressed,” he stated incredulously.

Arthur never took his eyes off the window. “Yes, I am the future King of Camelot; I do have some skills you know.”

Peering over Arthur’s shoulder, Merlin noticed the girls in the courtyard and suddenly understood Arthur’s fascination. “Ah, yes. Well, I doubt very much that the future King of Camelot should be caught staring at women through his window.”

Arthur turned to glare at Merlin, before conceding his point. “I suppose you’re right. I should be doing more than staring, shouldn’t I?”

“Sire?” Merlin questioned.

“I need to make a proclamation of love.” He moved from the window, giving up on staring at his love for a while.

Merlin started to chew on the inside of his cheek, trying to understand Arthur’s sudden change. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Arthur had feelings for the Lady Morgana, but there was no way he would admit it. “Are you sure?”

Arthur laughed at his question. “Why not? Why should I keep my feelings secret? I want to shout it from the rooftops!”

Merlin nodded slowly, taking in this new information. Normally he would be in support of Arthur and Morgana finally admitting their feelings, but lately he was struggling with anything Morgana related. They hadn’t spent any time alone together in weeks, and even when they saw each other they didn’t speak. He had tried to forgive her for killing Freya, but ever since it had happened, he was starting to worry that perhaps the dragon had been right when he had warned him against trusting Morgana.

Arthur continued to babble on, finally jolting Merlin out his thoughts by asking, “How do I express my feelings?”

“Feelings,” Merlin mused. “Girls.”

Arthur echoed the words, equally confused.

“Flowers?” Merlin suggested.

“Excellent!” Arthur exclaimed.

Nodding, Merlin asked, “So, what are the Lady Morgana’s favorite flowers?”

Arthur’s brow creased, not understanding the question. “Morgana? Why should that matter?”

“Well, aren’t the flowers for her?”

The laughter that ensued almost hurt Merlin’s ears. “Morgana? Merlin, wherever would you get an idea like that?”

While Merlin was slightly relieved, he was more than a little lost. “Who are they for then?”

Grinning like an idiot, Arthur replied, “The Lady Vivian.”

Merlin nodded, still having difficulty comprehending Arthur’s request. In the end, he decided that it wasn’t worth analyzing. If Arthur wanted to court the Lady Vivian, it was his decision. Perhaps Arthur wasn’t as in love with Morgana as he had previously thought. Agreeing to get the flowers, Merlin excused himself from Arthur’s chambers.

\---

Morgana had been put through the ringer following Lady Vivian around the whole day. They had gone shopping in the market, riding through the grounds, and had spent a considerable amount of time in the gardens. All the while, Vivian found something to complain about, no doubt due to her ridiculously spoiled upbringing. Morgana almost felt sorry for the girl. If Uther kept as tight of a leash on her as Olaf did on Vivian, Morgana would have run away years ago.

Finally, they made their way back to Camelot and Morgana accompanied Vivian to her chambers. When they got there, they found Merlin inside with a vase of flowers in his hands.

“Merlin?” Morgana asked. The boy looked shocked to see both of the girls standing there.

“What are you doing in my chambers?” Vivian fumed.

Merlin held out the flowers. “Sorry, these are from Prince Arthur. He wanted me to bring them to you.”

Vivian looked over at Morgana expectantly, assuming the flowers were for her. “Well, go ahead and take them. I don’t know why he’d send them here, of all places—”

Merlin coughed to interrupt. “Lady Vivian, the flowers are for you.”

The blonde whipped her head around to face the boy. “Me? Why on earth would he be sending flowers to me?”

Merlin shrugged and quickly set the flowers down on a table. “I just do as I’m told, my lady.” He smiled awkwardly at Morgana and rushed out of the room before he could be subjected to further questioning.

Morgana’s face fell slightly at the realization that Arthur sent Vivian flowers and not her, but she refused to let her feelings show. “I suppose he’s trying to make you feel welcome, Vivian.”

Lady Vivian dramatically rolled her eyes. “He’s lucky I don’t throw them in the trash. I mean, really, sending me flowers. My father has killed men for less.”

Morgana laughed despite the pain in her chest. “He’s not the brightest, our Arthur.”

Vivian laughed along with her. “Yes, well, I suppose I should bid you goodnight, Morgana.”

Morgana nodded and turned to leave the room, but stopped when she heard Vivian’s voice.

“Thank you for today, Morgana. It was… fun.” It seemed difficult for the girl to admit it, but clearly she was lonely.

Smiling, Morgana replied, “It was my pleasure.” She slipped out into the hall, finally allowing her emotions to crash down on her. Eventually she decided that it was yet another attempt by Arthur to bother her, so she held her chin up and walked back to her chambers, refusing to be affected.

\---

Later that night, Arthur found himself outside of Lady Vivian’s door with a tray of food. She hadn’t responded about the flowers, so he decided to try another tactic. He knocked on the door.

Lady Vivian called out from inside, “Who is it?”

Arthur replied, “It is destiny, my love.” He paused for a moment and assessed the plate before continuing, “Destiny and chicken!”

Lady Vivian opened the door to see Arthur standing there.

“What a beautiful combination, eh?”

She promptly shut the door in his face.

Arthur opened the door on his own and went on, “The beans are a little cold, but the meat is very good.”

“Go away!” Lady Vivian cried. She put her hand on the door, hoping to shut it on him again.

Upset, Arthur remarked, “My love, I do not know what I’ve done to offend you.”

“Your love?” Vivian exclaimed. “Not now, nor ever!”

“Come now,” Arthur begged.

Vivian rolled her eyes dramatically and slammed the door again.

Arthur started to knock again, calling out, “Just five minutes!”

Merlin rounded the corridor and quickly pulled Arthur away from the door. “My lord, I don’t think your advances are welcome.”

Vivian yelled once more. “Go away! And take your chicken with you!”

Arthur grumbled sarcastically, “Don’t know what gives you that impression.” He shoved the plate of food at Merlin and stalked back to his room in a huff.

On his way, he nearly crashed into Morgana as she walked in the opposite direction.

“Arthur!” She squealed as she stumbled.

Arthur shook his head in frustration and continued on without so much as an apology.

Morgana brushed herself off and watched as Arthur walked away. She made a disapproving noise under her breath and spun on her heel to continue on her way, thoroughly disgusted.

When he reached his chambers, Arthur collapsed on his bed, face down, wallowing in his failure.

Merlin was still trying to understand Arthur’s complete disregard for Morgana earlier, since it was completely unlike him, whether he loved the girl or not. “Perhaps you should give up on Lady Vivian, Arthur.”

Arthur groaned loudly, the sound muffled by the bed cover his face was pressed against. 

“She is very beautiful, but you barely know her. Maybe you should consider returning to, you know, your old love. Though I have reservations about that as well.”

Arthur mumbled into the bed, “I don’t have an old love.” He rolled over and landed on his pillow. As he hit it, a lock of hair became visible on his sheets. Picking it up, he muttered, “What on earth?” He held out the hair to show Merlin. “You really need to start paying attention to the details.”

Merlin took the hair from him, suddenly putting all the pieces together. He stuck the hair in his pocket to show it to Gaius later, almost certain now that this was some sort of spell.

\---

Morgana was in a bad mood for the rest of the night due to Arthur’s actions in the hall. He had only just asked her to spend the day with him the night before, yet now he was treating her worse than a servant.

As Gwen brushed out Morgana’s hair, she could sense something was troubling her. “Is there something on your mind, Morgana?”

Sighing, Morgana explained, “It’s Arthur.”

Gwen nodded; she had assumed as much.

“I think he’s upset with me.” She pouted at her reflection, wondering what she could’ve done wrong.

Gwen couldn’t believe it, only yesterday Arthur had been happy at the mere thought of Morgana. “Why would you think that?”

“He nearly trampled me in the hall earlier and didn’t say a word. He seemed almost annoyed that I had been in his way,” she complained.

“Maybe he was in a hurry, I’m sure he didn’t mean to--”

Morgana ignored Gwen’s attempt to write off the incident, continuing, “And did you know he sent the Lady Vivian flowers? Of all people.”

That was a shock to Gwen, and she yanked the brush sharply through Morgana’s hair.

“Ouch! Gwen!” Morgana cried.

“Sorry, my lady.” Smiling apologetically at her through the mirror, Gwen continued to brush her hair, contemplating what could have happened to Arthur to change his mind.

\---

Merlin had spent all night trying to find a way to break the love spell on Arthur, but he hadn’t come up with anything that wouldn’t possibly turn Arthur into a frog. As he cleaned Arthur’s chambers, he heard a knock on the door. He opened it and found Lady Vivian standing there only in her nightgown.

She grinned at him. “I wish to see Arthur. Your master. My lord.”

“Your what?” Merlin asked.

“My heart’s delight,” she giggled.

As she pushed past him into the room, Merlin muttered, “Oh no.”

“Where is he?” Vivian asked.

“He’s not here, which is a very good thing.”

Vivian threw herself onto Arthur’s bed, burying herself into his pillows. “I want to see him now! I need to see my love.”

As Merlin struggled to figure out what to do, he heard another knock, followed by the door opening slowly.

“Arthur?” Morgana called.

Merlin groaned. “Morgana, you really shouldn’t—”

Morgana noticed Vivian rolled up in Arthur’s bed and cried, “What is she doing in here?”

Vivian laughed giddily. “Waiting for my love to return.”

“Your _what?_ ” Morgana spluttered. She turned to Merlin. “What is going on?”

Lady Vivian got up from the bed and skipped over to Morgana. “Oh, Morgana, it’s wonderful. I’m in love with Arthur!”

A yell could be heard from out in the hall and Merlin ran over and peered out of the door to see Arthur coming, as well as Olaf and several knights. He shut the door and turned to Vivian, shouting, “Okay, you need to go!”

Lady Vivian frowned. “You cannot keep us apart. It’s written in the stars. Vivian and Arthur, a love for all time. A love stronger than time.”

Morgana rolled her eyes. “Oh, please!”

Hearing the footsteps grow closer, Merlin blurted out a spell, causing Vivian to fall asleep.

Morgana looked over at him incredulously. “Merlin!”

“King Olaf is coming, and if he finds her here, he’ll kill Arthur.”

She briefly contemplated letting Arthur die, but eventually she gave in, sighing as she went over to help. The two of them lifted Vivian up, shutting her inside Arthur’s closet. She mumbled, “If the girl falls in love this easily, no wonder Olaf has to kill all her suitors.”

As soon as they managed to get Vivian locked away, Arthur came into his room. “Morgana!” he announced, surprised at her presence.

Before Arthur could say anything else, Olaf stormed in, followed by the Trickler and several knights. “Where is she? I know she’s in here, Arthur! Hand her over, or feel my wrath.”

Arthur turned to Merlin and Morgana. “What’s he talking about?”

Olaf pointed at the Trickler. “Trickler here has told me that the Lady Vivian is in your chambers.”

Arthur chuckled to himself. “If only that were true.”

Olaf grabbed Arthur by his shirt, his face flush with fury.

“Arthur!” Morgana barked. 

Merlin added, “If only that were true, you would not look so foolish!”

Olaf seemed to accept Merlin’s editing of Arthur’s statement and released his hold on the prince.

Morgana quickly stepped in, putting herself between Arthur and Olaf. “I assure you, sire, the only woman in here is me. Perhaps the Trickler was mistaken.”

Olaf looked as though he was still on the fence about the whole thing.

Pushing on, Morgana added, “I’m sure Lady Vivian is only having a bit of a lie-in, we did have a long day yesterday.” She smiled beatifically. “Would I lie? If Vivian were here, I would tell you, truly.”

The King believed Morgana and angrily turned on the Trickler. “You made an idiot out of me!” He continued to yell as the party was ushered out of Arthur’s chambers.

Once everyone had left, Morgana turned to Arthur with a scowl on her face. “You’re welcome.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, confused about Morgana’s blatant annoyance.

Morgana huffed dramatically. She gave Merlin a look that conveyed that she wished him luck. Without further discussion, she waltzed out of Arthur’s chambers, unable to stand the sight of him anymore.

\---

Thankfully, Morgana was excused from having to attend the peace talks. The last thing she wanted to endure was a night of sitting with Arthur and Vivian while the kings all signed a treaty.

She was making her way to her chambers when she heard a commotion coming from the Great Hall. Suddenly Uther and several other kings burst out of the hall, seemingly on a mission. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she followed them as they made their way through the castle.

They arrived at Lady Vivian’s chambers, and Morgana considered leaving, since she cared little for what went on in Vivian’s room. However, she saw Merlin through the slightly open door and became more interested. She politely maneuvered past the kings and slipped in through the open door before them.

As soon as she entered she wished she hadn’t. The sight in front of her caused physical pain in her chest. Arthur and Vivian were wantonly kissing on Vivian’s bed. Arthur was holding her, practically worshipping her as they kissed. The pained gasp that escaped Morgana’s lips was inevitable.

The sound of Morgana’s cry shook something in Arthur, and he broke off the kiss. He stared hazily at Morgana for a brief moment, and murmured, “Morgana?” Something in him seemed to register her pain as if it was his own, and he started to release Vivian.

Merlin saw Arthur’s eyes shine at Morgana for a second, and thought that he had possibly broken the spell. However, as soon as the kings poured into the room, Arthur wrapped his arms tightly around Vivian again and Merlin lost his hope.

Olaf was shouting at Arthur, and Vivian was pleading with her father, but Morgana couldn’t hear anything. She kept staring at Arthur, finding it difficult to breathe properly. She watched as he proclaimed his love for Vivian and she felt as though she’d be sick. No longer able to stand it, she pushed Uther out of her way and fled from the room.

Morgana absolutely refused to cry as she ran to her chambers. She would not let this upset her. Arthur was an idiot, what should she care about who he kisses? Unless it was her. Her mind betrayed her, reminding her that Arthur had said that kissing her had meant something. She kicked at a stray table in the hall, causing a vase to fall and shatter. He lied, of course he had lied. She finally reached her door and threw it open, thankful to be surrounded by the darkness of her room. She stood in the center of her room for what felt like hours, staring blankly at nothingness.

When Guinevere came to collect Morgana’s laundry, she found her mistress standing there, frozen. “Morgana?”

Morgana didn’t reply; she looked up at Gwen, her green eyes shining in the dark.

Gwen immediately recognized that something was wrong and dropped her laundry basket. She walked over to Morgana and gingerly wrapped her arms around the woman’s rigid frame.

For a few moments, Morgana didn’t move or speak, but slowly she sunk into Gwen’s embrace, allowing a sob to escape her lips.

Gwen caressed Morgana’s hair, quietly shushing her. “It’s alright.”

Morgana swallowed down the ensuing sob, forcing herself to stop crying. Angrily, she murmured, “I hate him.”

Gwen didn’t bother to ask, she just continued to smooth her hand over Morgana’s hair.

\---

The next day, Morgana refused to leave her chambers. She didn’t want to watch Arthur fighting to the death over Lady Vivian. Whether or not he died, it was still the most unpleasant way she could imagine spending her day. 

Guinevere had figured out the reason for Morgana’s desolation the night before, and had offered to stay and keep her company during the tourney.

Morgana had dismissed her offer, claiming that she would rather be alone. Since she wasn’t planning on leaving, she didn’t bother to get Gwen to pin up her hair, leaving it down over her shoulders. She spent most the morning staring out of her window, torturing herself with what bits of preparation for the tournament she could see. When she caught sight of Arthur, she abruptly pulled the curtains shut and laid down on her bed, ignoring the fact that she was wrinkling her dress. She curled up, bringing her knees to her chest, secretly praying that Arthur would survive.

\---

After seeing Arthur react to Morgana, Merlin was more determined than before to find a way to un-enchant him. Arthur’s brain was too filled with Vivian, and he undoubtedly was going to lose the tournament. Merlin decided to visit the Great Dragon to ask for help, as usual, before it was too late.

The dragon told him that no magic could break the spell, but Merlin refused to give up and let Arthur die.

“From what you tell me, the spell has captured his heart,” the dragon commented. “The solution lies in a force greater than magic.”

“What is it?” Merlin implored.

The dragon chuckled. “Love.”

“Love?”

Kilgharrah explained, “You must find the person Arthur truly loves. One kiss from her will break the enchantment, and he will desire Vivian no more.”

Merlin realized what it was he had to do, and he immediately left to go seek out the only person who could fix this.

\---

From Morgana’s room, she could hear the noises from the tournament and could tell that Arthur was losing. She grabbed a pillow and tugged it firmly over her head, trying to block out the sounds. She knew that she should stop wallowing, but she couldn’t find the will to go down and watch.

Suddenly the pillow was yanked away from her face, revealing Merlin standing above her.

“Merlin!” She whined. “What do you want?”

Merlin sighed, knowing this wouldn’t be easy. “I need your help. Arthur needs your help.”

Morgana laughed quite loudly. “Merlin, I know I’m good with a sword, but I can’t help Arthur. Besides, I doubt he wants anything from me.”

“Morgana…” he started. “I know I haven’t been very fair to you lately, but you can still trust me. So believe me when I say, Arthur needs you.”

She slowly stood from the bed to stand in front of Merlin, intrigued by his plea.

“He loves you, Morgana,” he admitted. He didn’t want to acknowledge it, but he knew that it was true. If he was to protect Arthur, he was going to have to accept that Morgana would always be an important part of his life, and nothing was changing that.

She shook her head vehemently. “No, that’s not true.”

“It is! I’ve seen it ever since I first came here. There’s no one else for him but you.”

She laughed again, harsher this time. “Tell that to the Lady Vivian.”

Frustrated, Merlin yelled, “Morgana can’t you see it? He’s enchanted! The way he’s been acting, the way he treated you, that’s not normal. It’s magic.”

It seemed so obvious when Merlin explained it, but part of her was still hesitant. “Spell or not, I don’t see what this has to do with me, Merlin. Surely you can break it on your own. You’re more powerful than I am.”

He shook his head. “It can’t be broken by magic.”

Worry slowly crept up on her. “Then what?” she asked.

“You,” he replied. “His love for you.”

Morgana wasn’t completely convinced, but she knew that Merlin wouldn’t ask unless he truly believed she could help, so she agreed. “What do I have to do?”

\---

Arthur had lost the first two rounds, since his mind was too focused on Vivian. He seemed unfazed by it all, despite Gaius explaining that he had broken some ribs in the fights.

Morgana snuck down to the tents, both hoping for a miracle and wishing that she was anywhere else. She saw Gaius exiting Arthur’s tent and smiled at him before entering. She found Arthur there, adjusting his shirt.

He looked up upon hearing her enter. “Morgana. Come to wish me luck?”

Smiling at his ignorance, she shook her head. “Not quite.”

Arthur cocked his head, confused by her admission.

She whispered to herself, “You’re lucky I love you, Arthur.” She strode across the tent until she was a breaths space away from him.

He looked down at her, appearing puzzled. “Morgana, what—”

Morgana murmured forcefully, “Oh, shut up, Arthur.” To emphasize her point, she covered his mouth with her own in a desperate kiss.

For a moment, she held steady, listening to his heavy breathing as he stood stolid against her lips. Just as she was about to concede defeat, she felt his lips give way under hers, and she moved her mouth against his, kissing him more deeply.

The kiss was completely different from their last, with something slow and sweet driving it, instead of distress.

Morgana grasped him tightly to her, dragging her fingers leisurely through his blonde hair as she clutched his body. He seemed to almost melt into the kiss, tipping her backwards in a low dip. One of his arms wound around her waist, and the other cradled her neck, holding her in place as he brought her back up to her feet.

Morgana tilted her head, moving her lips over his in an intricate motion. Eagerly, Arthur responded by pulling her bottom lip into his mouth and sucking on it gently before releasing it. Morgana giggled low in her throat, and the vibration passed through Arthur’s lips. The sound of her laughter echoed through his foggy mind and he kissed her more fiercely, never wanting to let her go. 

Both of them refused to stop, enjoying their small moment of peace. However, Morgana knew that there were still important things to deal with, so she released his mouth from hers, allowing them both a chance to breathe.

As they pulled away, Arthur brushed his nose against Morgana’s in a playful move that made her smile. 

He stared into her eyes, mesmerized for a few moments. As he gazed at her, Arthur gradually became aware of the pain in his chest, and he let out a soft cry. He nearly collapsed against Morgana, resting his head against her shoulder. Murmuring his words into her skin, he asked, “What’s happening?”

Morgana tilted her head to lightly place a kiss on his temple, solemnly replying, “You’re in a fight to the death, Arthur.”

\---

Thankfully, Arthur was able to win the fight, but he didn’t kill Olaf. Morgana watched from the stands with pride as Arthur successfully managed to keep the peace by sparing his opponent. Even Uther seemed pleased by his son’s actions. Arthur was safe, and Camelot would not be going to war, so all was well.

Morgana pleaded with Merlin to help her break the spell on Vivian as well, since she believed that it was too cruel a fate for anyone to forever love someone without a chance of being together. Since Vivian had no true love of her own, Morgana deduced that they must have the person who cast the spell remove it for them. 

She and Merlin found a way to entrap the Trickler and threatened to expose his magic to Uther if he didn’t cooperate. Morgana explained that use of magic in Camelot, especially when used on the crown prince, would most certainly cause him to lose his head. Eventually the Trickler gave in, wanting to protect his pretty head, and removed the spell he had cast on Vivian.

Vivian was not as grateful as Morgana had hoped, but she still was glad that Vivian was free now. She laughed with Merlin about it, “I mean, who would want to be stuck loving Arthur forever?”

Merlin gave her a very pointed look, which Morgana pretended to ignore, but they both knew there was no denying it now.

\---

Arthur came to see Morgana that night. He was still struggling to remember the events of the last few days, but he knew one thing for certain, that he needed Morgana.

Morgana smiled at him as he came in her chambers. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ll mend,” he answered. He pulled a small white lily out from behind his back and set it on Morgana’s table.

It was one of her favorite flowers. She picked it up and smelled it. “Thank you.”

“I wanted to apologize, for how I treated you.”

Morgana waved it off, setting the flower back down gently. “I understand, Arthur.”

His guilt was pressing down on him, so he added, “You must know, my feelings for Vivian, they weren’t real.”

The pain was fresh, but she smiled through it. “I know.”

“When I told you before, that our kiss meant something… Morgana you know that I…” He shook his head, deciding to come out with it. “I’ve never loved anyone else.”

She picked up on his subtle admission and grinned. She moved towards him and set her arms over his shoulders, clasping her hands behind his neck. “Does that mean you love me, Arthur?”

He smirked down at her. “I suppose it does.”

Humming in satisfaction, she whispered, “Well then, I suppose I might just love you as well.”

His hands splayed across her hips as he tugged her closer. “Really now?”

She grinned. “I’ll have to think about it.”

Laughing, Arthur bent down and kissed her, nipping at her lips as a punishment. A spark lit in her eyes and she kissed him back, getting in her own nips where she could, refusing to lose the battle. Arthur laughed harder at her antics and picked her up off the ground so that her feet dangled and she was at his eye-level.

He felt her whisper something against his lips as she kissed him and he spun her around in a circle, unable to contain the happiness he felt.

Morgana pressed her forehead against Arthur’s and smiled. At least for now, she wasn’t alone.


	10. The Witch's Quickening

As night fell in Camelot, there was a disturbance on the grounds. Morgana was sleeping peacefully through it all, the sound of the rain from outside her window lulling her into a dreamless night for once. However, the sound of the warning bells reverberated through her room and woke her from her resting state. 

There was something on the air, Morgana could sense it. She knew that Arthur would be awake and dealing with the trouble in the city. It was comforting, and she attempted to rest. As she began to close her eyes once more, she heard her door open, and immediately sprang awake. 

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and her sense of alert was alleviated by the sight in front of her. Beaming at her intruder, she whispered joyfully, “Mordred!”

The child smiled in return and walked over to the bed to embrace his protector from so long ago.

Cradling his face in her hands, Morgana gushed, “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Out of the darkness appeared another intruder, a man slightly older than Morgana. He spoke up, explaining, “I found the boy wandering in the woods, lost and alone, hunted by Uther’s men.”

Her attention suddenly diverted, Morgana dropped her hands from Mordred’s face, questioning, “Who are you?”

“I am Alvarr,” the man replied. “I too have been hunted by Uther since I was a child.”

The man’s plight was one that she understood, and she accepted that he was not a threat. She softened, prompting him, “You have magic.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Morgana nodded in understanding. “I am truly sorry. I too have known Uther’s cruelty.”

Alvarr stared at her, surprised by her admission. “Magic is not a crime. It is a gift.” Seeing that he had Morgana’s rapt attention, he added, “I wish to walk free and without fear. The boy said you would understand.”

Remembering then that Mordred was there, Morgana turned to him. “What are you doing in Camelot? You take a great risk in coming here.”

Alvarr responded for the boy, “We came to see you.”

Mordred smiled sweetly at Morgana in agreement with Alvarr’s statement.

Morgana returned the smile, but there was an uneasy feeling settling in her gut.

\---

Merlin had awoken before the bells had even sounded, the sounds of voices echoing through his skull. The main voice was eerily familiar, but he couldn’t quite grasp it. He left his bed and followed the sounds until they grew louder, and it rung through his mind as clear as day. Mordred.

His fear of what the young sorcerer would do only intensified upon hearing the boy’s words. Mordred was headed to Morgana’s chambers, and he was not alone.

Running as fast as he could, Merlin navigated the halls trying to reach Morgana’s room. As he reached the main corridor, he was thrown roughly against a wall, his ability to breathe choked off by a large hand.

The hand belonged to Arthur, who asked, “Merlin?”

Gasping against the vice around his throat, Merlin tried to speak. “Mor—Morgana.”

Recognizing the word, Arthur immediately released his manservant. “What?” he demanded.

Merlin rubbed at his throat and rasped, “They’re in Morgana’s chambers.”

Without wasting another second, Arthur turned and bolted in the direction of Morgana’s chambers, Merlin and several guards close behind. 

\---

Morgana rose from her bed, bringing Mordred with her. “Alvarr, I understand that you want your freedom, but you cannot stand up against Uther. He has an army at his disposal.”

“It does not matter how many you are, if you have a weapon powerful enough at your disposal.” Alvarr looked pointedly at Mordred, and the sight frightened Morgana. “When I was a child, my parents told me of a crystal. It was taken from a sorceress in the Great Purge. Uther stole the crystal and now keeps it here, locked away in Camelot.”

Morgana recalled hearing about the thousands of magical items stored in the vaults below the castle, but she had never seen it. However, she did know one thing. “The vaults are impregnable,” she explained. “You could never get it out.”

Alvarr nodded almost imperceptibly. “No, I could not.” He paused before elaborating, “But you could.”

\---

As Arthur reached Morgana’s door, he listened for a moment with his ear against the wood to see if he could hear any noises inside. When he heard nothing, he violently kicked the door down and stormed in, prepared to save Morgana from any attackers.

When Arthur broke in, Morgana was wrapped up in her bedcovers, looking scandalized at the intrusion. Internally she was torn, partly relieved that she had successfully hidden Mordred and his friend, and partly guilty for tricking Arthur. She saw the guards pour into her room behind the prince and felt a bit more reassured in her decision, knowing that they would have no choice but to arrest the intruders.

As Arthur looked around the room with a puzzled look on his face, Morgana cried, “Arthur, what are you doing in here?”

“I…” Arthur spun around, looking adorably lost. “I had reason to believe there was an intruder in here.”

“Right now, Arthur, the only intruder in here is you.” Morgana quipped, feeling slightly guiltier at his wounded expression.

“Morgana, I…” He shook his head, remembering that he was not alone. “Perhaps if I could just search your chambers—”

“Arthur, do you really think if there was someone in my room I wouldn’t know about it?” The lie rung in her ears, and she had to bite down on her tongue afterwards to stop from giving anything away. She caught Merlin’s eyes from across the room and noticed that he looked mildly suspicious. She didn’t like the way his gaze seemed to burn through her, so she looked back at Arthur instead.

Arthur cleared his throat, feeling like a fool. “I’m sorry, Morgana, for the intrusion.” He turned to the guards and signaled for them to leave. “Continue the search,” he ordered as they left.

Merlin remained standing by the door until Arthur coughed obnoxiously, expressing his desire for Merlin to leave. Merlin reluctantly obeyed, glancing back at Morgana with betrayal in his eyes as he went.

After Merlin left, Arthur shut the door and walked over to where Morgana lay. “I really am sorry. I’ll fix your door, I promise.”

She smiled at him, despite her nerves swarming through her chest. “Yes, I’d appreciate that. What caused you to come barging in here that way?”

He sat down on her bed beside her. “It was all Merlin’s fault. He had some ridiculous notion that the intruders were in here.”

“Merlin?” There was no way Merlin had just happened upon Mordred and Alvarr on their journey; there was something more behind it.

Arthur mistook her surprise for something else and clarified, “And I was worried about you, too.”

Smiling, she kissed him softly on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Sensing that all was forgiven, Arthur beamed at her, feeling better about his mistake. His smile slowly turned into a smirk, and he murmured, “You know, I could stay here with you tonight. Protect you in case the intruders find their way here after all.”

Morgana laughed quietly, her cheeks turning red. If only she didn’t have two druids hiding in her closet… “Arthur,” she chastised, pushing at his shoulder.

He chuckled, leaning in to drop a kiss on her bare shoulder.

His soft blonde hair brushed against her cheek as he kissed a path up the column of her neck, lavishing his attention on her jaw line. Morgana bit down on her lip to keep from sighing, fearing that someone could be watching. Regretfully, she placed her hands on his chest, pushing him back.

Arthur frowned at the loss of contact. He brought his hand up and encircled one of hers, pulling it away from his chest and holding it tightly.

Forcing herself not to give in, Morgana reminded him, “Shouldn’t you be looking for the intruders? You know the rest of the knights are hopeless without you.” She hoped that the padding of his ego would be enough encouragement.

A frustrated sighed loosed itself from Arthur’s chest. “I suppose you’re right. As always.” He smiled at her, unconsciously rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand.

“I wouldn’t want to keep you from your duty.” If he didn’t leave soon, she was sure that she would snap.

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm before releasing her hand from his grasp. “Breakfast, then?”

She nodded in agreement, mostly just to end the conversation.

Satisfied with the promise of seeing her in a few hours, Arthur stood up from her bed and crossed the room. He stared at the broken lock on the door for a few seconds before shaking his head and leaving.

Morgana waited until she heard his footsteps recede down the hall before signaling Mordred and Alvarr to come out.

“We owe you our lives,” Alvarr said.

Morgana pushed back her sheets and stepped out onto the floor. “You’re safe for now, but you must go. Uther will kill you if he finds you.”

“And you will help us?” Alvarr asked, expectantly.

Morgana wanted desperately to say no, but Mordred was there tugging at her sleeve.

The boy begged, “Please, Morgana, we need you.”

“You are the king’s ward, and you _clearly_ are close with the prince.” The statement conveyed volumes, and Morgana resisted the urge to glare. “It would be easy for you to gain access to the crystal, and no one would suspect you,” Alvarr insisted. He was staring at her in a way that made her uncomfortable, but it was clear that he was not backing down.

Morgana debated it in her head. The crystal was originally owned by a sorcerer, would it do such harm to return it to the people to whom it truly belonged? Uther kept so many things locked away; surely not all of them were dangerous. She looked down into the massive expanses of Mordred’s pleading blue eyes and gave in, ignoring the worry she felt. “Yes, of course I will.”

\---

The following morning, Morgana was so wrapped up in her plans and worries that she completely forgot about breakfast with Arthur. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts of how she would get the crystal, and then smuggle it out of Camelot. She still was unsure if this was the right decision, and therefore her brain was far too filled to remember something as mundane as a morning meal.

Arthur, however, did remember, and sought out Morgana after she failed to appear at his chambers to eat with him. He found her walking in the hallway near her chambers, looking conflicted about something. She was staring at her feet, so he took the opportunity to duck into an alcove and hide from view.

Morgana was still wrapped up in her thoughts when she was grabbed by someone and abruptly dragged into a small opening in the wall. Her instinctive gasp was smothered by a warm and hungry mouth as it covered hers, devouring her cries. Her first impulse was to resist, but as his mouth slanted over hers, she felt the familiar slide of a tongue across her teeth and recognized her assailant. She shoved him back to break the kiss, her fear simmering into a tempered rage as she noticed the smug face of Arthur Pendragon in front of her.

He slowly leaned away, smiling as though he had achieved something impressive. 

Morgana stomped on his foot, desperate to stop him from smiling. “What are you doing?” she hissed.

His smile morphed into a grimace at the pain and he shook his foot to regain some feeling in it. “You missed breakfast,” he explained.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “And that is cause for dragging me in here?”

Arthur’s grin was downright lascivious. “I figured you owed me.”

Her glare would’ve leveled lesser men. “Arthur, I swear, you are such a brute sometimes, you could’ve—”

Her rant was swallowed by his mouth as he drew her in once more. His right hand fisted in her hair, dragging her impossibly closer. 

She desperately wanted to shove him off and ruin his moment, but the feel of his lips on hers was making her dizzy. The heady feeling rolling through her body was enough to knock her off her feet, and she pitched forward in his arms, clutching at his shoulders to keep upright. 

Arthur felt her falling further into his embrace, and it spurred him further. His kisses were ravenous as he sucked the breath from her lungs, never once breaking free from her luscious lips. 

The force of his passion was jolting, and Morgana foggily recognized the magnitude of his desire for her, and what that meant. Her fingers dug into his shoulders harder, fervently grasping the material of his shirt in her hands.

He could feel her struggling to hold on, and he felt the same. It was as though he was falling off a steep precipice, and he was terrified of hitting the bottom. He couldn’t possibly let her go. With his free hand, he encircled her waist, his hand getting lost in yards of silk as he grabbed at her hip and held her fast.

As Arthur pulled her in, Morgana arched her back, inadvertently rocking her hips forward. She lost all sense of reason with him and let her instinct take over. Normally she would be afraid of this sense of reckless abandon, but nothing felt wrong when she was in his arms.

The feeling of Morgana’s hips brushing against his own was enough to make Arthur break the kiss, groaning against her lips as he pulled away to breathe. “Morgana,” he murmured huskily, his brain drowning in lust.

Morgana gasped for breath, suddenly feeling foolish for getting caught up in the moment. She slowly unclenched her fingers and dropped her hands from his shoulders. “Are you satisfied now?” she breathily whispered.

Chuckling, he answered in low tones, his voice still raspy as he struggled to regain control. “Not exactly.”

She made a noise of shock and hit him on the arm. If the alcove had been larger, she would’ve moved away from him, but she was stuck. “Well, that should be payment enough for breakfast, I’d think.”

He smirked. “I don’t know; it was a pretty good breakfast.”

Scoffing in annoyance, she stepped out into the hallway, done with their conversation. “Have a good day, Arthur.”

He laughed and leaned out to stare at her as she walked away. “Let me know if you want to skip dinner too!” he yelled after her.

She whipped her head around to glare teasingly at him before turning and leaving with a flip of her hair.

\---

Later in the day when Morgana was sure Arthur would be out training, she snuck into his chambers. He had the keys that would grant her access to the vault and he kept them in his room for safekeeping. She scanned the room, her eyes falling on the cabinet beside his bed.

As she neared the drawer that she knew held the keys, her hands began to shake. She felt guilty for betraying Arthur this way, but what choice did she have? If she told him of her plans he would try to stop her, and she couldn’t risk that. Mordred had asked this of her, and she would grant that boy most anything. She could not shake the connection she felt to him, and therefore she felt obliged to do this simple task if it was what he needed.

Swallowing to wet her dry mouth, she gathered up her courage and pulled open the drawer. She rifled through until she found the keys and slipped them into her hand. As she was closing the drawer, she caught the faint sound of the door opening and spun around to face whoever it was.

She bit down on her lip, frustrated that it wasn’t Arthur. With a false cheerfulness, she greeted, “Merlin!”

He cocked his head at her, that same suspicious look from the night before on his face. “Lady Morgana. What are you doing in here?”

“I was looking for Arthur.” The lie was flimsy, and she knew it wouldn’t hold up.

“He’s at training, like he always is at this time,” Merlin replied, his tone conveying his disbelief.

Morgana laughed lightly, as though she was embarrassed by her mistake. “Right, of course.” She carefully slipped the keys down her sleeve to hide them.

Merlin’s eyes narrowed and he took a step towards her. “Morgana.” He said her name with an air of authority, though he dared not voice the reprimands running through his mind.

She set her mouth in a hard line, assessing the boy in front of her. She knew that there was more than met the eye with him, and he obviously suspected that she was up to something. Even though they were gradually getting back to a place of trust, something was holding Morgana back from telling him about this. She quickly broke out into a smile, with a look that said ‘you caught me’ on her face. “Alright, truthfully, I was in here to steal something of Arthur’s. He did something this morning,” she smirked pointedly, “and I wanted to get a little revenge.”

“You wanted to steal something?” It was clear he wasn’t convinced, but his tone had softened.

Refusing to stop once she had started, she laughed. “Well, it’s not my most original plan, but perhaps if I took his favorite jacket, or his lucky dagger…” She shrugged. “What can I say, Merlin, I don’t like letting Arthur win.”

Merlin nodded slowly. “Well, I’m sure he’ll blame me for losing whatever it is you take.”

Grinning, Morgana reached over and grabbed a silver ring off of Arthur’s nightstand. “This will do.” She slipped it onto her finger, mentally making a note to bring it back later. “Don’t worry, Merlin, it’ll be fine.” She patted his shoulder before leaving the room.

His eyes followed her as she slipped out into the hall, fearing that something bad was about to happen.

\---

After the sun went down and the castle had gone dark, Morgana snuck out of her chambers, wrapped in her long green cloak. She had the keys grasped tightly in her hand as she crept down the stairs to the caverns below the castle. At the sound of footsteps approaching, she ducked behind a corner. Several guards passed by on their rounds, and Morgana watched as they receded down the hall. Once they were gone, she grabbed a torch off of the wall and used it to light her way. As she reached the vault door, she took a deep steadying breath and slipped the key into the lock.

The door unlocked, and she pushed it open slowly. Holding the torch out in front of her, she slipped inside. The vault was covered in cobwebs, and the walls were lined with shelves up to the ceiling, all filled with magical objects.

The vault was eerily quiet, and the sound of her heels clacking against the floor reverberated off the walls. She came upon a second door and unlocked it, revealing a large crystal resting on a pillow. Gingerly, she picked it up and tucked it under her cloak. She swallowed down her feelings of guilt and hastily made her way back to her chambers.

\---

Morgana waited until long after the warning bells had sounded and Gwen had gone home to finally look at the crystal again. She pulled it out of her armoire and stared at it, praying that this was the right choice. She set it down on the table, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. Stripping out of her nightclothes, she put on a dress and donned a long cloak. She pinned her hair to the side and slipped on a pair of boots. 

Once she was ready, she picked up the crystal and began to tuck it inside a pocket in her cloak. As she moved, she heard the tinkling of something falling to the floor. She bent over for closer inspection and found that it was Arthur’s ring. She had completely forgotten it was even on her finger. Picking it up with a sigh, she brought it over to her armoire. For a moment she considered leaving it, but she couldn’t seem to do it. She grabbed a chain from her jewelry box and strung it through the ring before bringing it up to clasp around her neck. The metal was cool against her skin, but it was oddly comforting to have the slight weight resting there. Steeling her nerves, she brought up her hood and began her journey.

\---

It was nearly light out by the time Morgana reached her destination. The camp was in Cenred’s lands, and she had to be cautious. She dismounted and tied her horse to a tree before entering the camp.

Morgana had only taken a few steps when an enthusiastic Mordred called out her name and rushed to hug her. She tucked the boy tightly against her and dropped a kiss to his head.

Alvarr was not far behind the boy, and he held out his hand expectantly.

Reluctantly, Morgana pulled out the crystal and placed it into Alvarr’s outstretched hand. A crystal seemed so harmless, but she was nervous.

Alvarr was extremely pleased, and he asked for Morgana to stay and warm up with something to drink before her journey back to Camelot.

Nodding in acceptance, Morgana went over to sit by the fire, unaware that a pair of prying eyes was watching her from the bushes.

A drink in hand, Alvarr came over to where Morgana sat on a log. He handed the mug to her before sitting down next to her. “Hopefully in time, Mordred will master the crystal. And then we will strike down Uther, and all who serve him.”

Morgana froze, her hands clutching the mug tighter than before. “All who serve him?” Her mind was filled with thoughts of Arthur, and she brought one hand up to her neck to grasp the ring on her necklace.

“If we are to win this war, there can be no half measures.” When he noticed Morgana staring off uncomfortably, he added, “I see this troubles you.”

“Yes. Yes, it does,” Morgana replied. “There are good people in Camelot. Uther is the tyrant, but there are others, those who would support the return of magic.”

“My lady, we fight for our very survival, we cannot take any risks,” Alvarr explained.

Morgana shook her head, still desperately holding on to the ring at her neck. “Without Uther as king, his son would take the throne. He is a good man; he will not fail you like his father.”

“I would think you would understand better than most, my lady. You have magic; you must know what it is like.”

Shocked, she dropped her hand from her throat.

Alvarr clarified, “The boy, he told me.”

She nodded slowly.

“You have a greater part to play in this than you know, Morgana. There are prophecies that the druids speak of, prophecies about you.”

“Me?” she squeaked. He couldn’t possibly be right.

He nodded, a look of confidence on his face. “They say that you are destined to bring back the old ways. You will return magic to this land.”

A bout of nervous laughter escaped her lips. “You must be mistaken.”

Alvarr reached out and laid a hand over her wrist. “If we succeed in this war, you will be able to lead us to a better future. You will be able to live out your life free of fear, and you will never be alone again.”

She remembered the feeling of Arthur’s arms around her, and knew that she wasn’t alone, but she didn’t say anything. She smiled gratefully and quietly spoke, “I should be heading back. The castle will be waking soon.” She stood up from the log and handed the mug back to Alvarr.

Taking the drink from her hands, he remarked, “Farewell then, my Lady Morgana. Hopefully our paths will cross again.”

Morgana smiled and turned to find her horse. She fingered the ring around her neck again before mounting her horse to head back home, feeling more conflicted than ever.

\---

The next day, Gaius held a meeting with Uther and explained that he had heard news of the whereabouts of the man who had stolen the crystal. Uther immediately assigned Arthur to inspect the area, and Morgana’s heart stopped. She didn’t want to see Mordred hurt, and she knew that Arthur would have no choice but to capture the boy. She also knew that if Arthur was unlucky, Alvarr would most certainly kill him. Either option terrified her, and she desperately wanted to do something to stop it from happening.

After the meeting, Morgana tried to catch up with Arthur, but her path was blocked by Merlin. She pushed at his shoulder and tried to move past him. “Sorry Merlin, but I need to speak with—”

Merlin stood his ground and interrupted in hushed tones, “I know you stole the crystal, Morgana.”

She had known it was a possibility, but it didn’t stop her from freezing in terror. This could ruin everything. “Merlin…” She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along until she came upon an empty room where they could talk without being overheard.

Once they were inside, Merlin spoke up again. “I know you did it for the druid boy, Mordred.”

Her eyes narrowed at that. “Have you been spying on me, Merlin?”

“I’ve been doing it for your own good, Morgana. I know you care for the boy, but he’s more dangerous than you know.”

Morgana barked out a harsh laugh. “Mordred? He’s just a child, Merlin.” 

Merlin shook his head at her stubbornness. “He has great power, and he will grow to do terrible things.”

“How could you possibly know that?” she snapped. When it came to Mordred, she felt like a protective mother.

He didn’t trust her enough to reveal his secret discussions with Kilgharrah. As far as Morgana knew, dragons were extinct. “I can’t explain it, Morgana. But if you care about Arthur at all, you’ll stay away from Mordred.”

“What does Arthur have to do with this?” Her tone was still angry, but it was clear from her eyes that she was worried.

It was dangerous to know what the future held, Merlin knew that. He blew out a slow breath, trying to remain calm. “Just, trust me, Morgana.”

She scoffed, “Trust you? You who claims to be my friend, yet spies on me behind my back? I suppose you’re the one who told Gaius about the crystal’s whereabouts, too.”

“I had to. It was the only way,” he admitted.

Chuckling darkly to herself, she murmured, “No, it wasn’t. You could’ve come to me; you could’ve told me the whole story. Instead you skulk around and then come in here with accusations that you can’t seem to support.” 

“Morgana, please,” Merlin begged.

“How can I trust you when you so clearly refuse to pay me the same respect?” She shook her head, feeling exhausted and betrayed. “I won’t see Mordred again, Merlin. But I don’t think I want to see you anymore, either.” Her eyes pricked with tears; the revelation of his deceit was causing her heart to break. She roughly pushed past him, hurriedly walking out of the room.

\---

Still on the verge of tears, Morgana ran all the way to Arthur’s room. She threw open the door and found him preparing for his mission.

He stopped when he heard her at the door and snapped his head up to look at her. He knew Morgana better than anyone, and he could sense that she was in pain. “What’s wrong?”

She felt her resolve breaking down, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Don’t go on this mission, Arthur.”

Arthur’s lips began to quirk up in a smile at that. “Are you worried about me?”

Shutting her eyes against the tears, she shook her head. “I am, but… Arthur you have to listen to me, I did something, I…”

He maneuvered around the table and came to stand in front of her. He soothingly ran his hands over her upper arms. “It’s alright, Morgana. You can tell me.”

“Arthur, it was me,” she whispered.

His hands stilled, confused by her admission. “What?”

More tears escaped her eyes and she damned her weak emotions. “I stole the crystal.” She waited for his angry explosion, but it never came. He was staring wide-eyed at her, patiently waiting for an explanation. She continued, “It was the druid boy, Arthur. He came to me and asked for my help.”

His head dropped minutely in a nod, still listening.

“They needed the crystal. He asked me to steal it for them.” Anger welled up inside of her and she blurted, “It’s not fair that they live in fear just because they have magic.” Calming down, she drew her lip into her mouth and worried it for a moment before asking, “Can you forgive me?”

Finally he spoke. “So the other night, you were hiding them in your room, weren’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“And you stole my keys?” he asked.

Morgana nodded.

“Uther was furious with me for that.” He didn’t care what Uther thought of him, but it still stung to be considered a failure.

“I’m sorry, Arthur,” she cried.

He dropped his hands from where they were still resting on her arms. “You should’ve told me, Morgana.”

She felt cold without his hands to warm her and wrapped her arms tightly around her middle. “I know.”

Arthur shook his head and snorted in derision. “You can’t keep doing this, Morgana. You can’t keep things from me.” He ran his fingers roughly through his hair, sighing in exasperation. “I’m on your side! I love you, remember?”

Unable to stop from crying, Morgana only nodded.

Arthur turned away from her. “I’m still going on the mission, Morgana. I know you did what you thought was right, but that crystal could be dangerous. I have to protect my people.”

She could tell that it was the prince speaking, and not her Arthur, but there was nothing she could do. “And the boy?”

Arthur looked back at her over his shoulder. “I’ll do what I can.”

\---

Waiting for Arthur to return was one of the worst things Morgana had ever gone through. She paced for hours by the window, hoping for a glimpse of the men over the walls of the castle. Gwen had stopped asking what was wrong after the tenth time, since she never received an answer.

When Morgana finally caught sight of them, she stopped pacing and stared out of the window. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she knew that she needed to see that Arthur was safe. Thankfully, she saw his horse and his telltale blonde hair as he rode into the square. Her sigh of relief got caught in her throat, however, for she saw someone else with the riders. A man in chains with a familiar face. Morgana dropped her head into her hands. Alvarr was doomed to an unpleasant fate.

\---

Morgana was present for the sentencing, hoping that Uther would possibly show Alvarr mercy. However, Alvarr confessed to his crimes, admitting freely that he had plotted against Camelot. When Uther asked if he had acted alone, Alvarr said yes, refusing to condemn Morgana as well.

The guilt was crushing her, for she could feel Alvarr’s eyes on her, as well as Arthur’s and Merlin’s. They all were protecting her, and she was too much of a coward to tell the truth. It would do no good at this point.

Uther turned away from the accused. “You are an enemy of Camelot, Alvarr. You are sentenced to death.”

“Then I die with honor. To be an enemy of Camelot is no crime.” As the guards hauled Alvarr to his feet, he sneered, “You, Uther, are the criminal.”

Morgana glared over at Uther as the guards carried Alvarr out of the room, the rest of the council following soon after.

Arthur watched Morgana warily, but left with his men, knowing he could not speak to her now.

Morgana signaled for the last of the guards to leave, shutting the doors with them. The room was empty now save for her and Uther. She turned on him slowly, inquiring, “How many more must you kill before you’re satisfied?”

Uther shook his head and turned around to face his ward. “He was guilty, he confessed his crimes, Morgana. This man was a sworn foe of Camelot.”

She scoffed. “Is it any wonder he wanted you dead? You who have persecuted his kind day after day, year after year?”

“I will hear no more of this, Morgana!” Uther yelled.

“Because you’re an arrogant fool! You are deaf and blind to the very needs of the people you profess to serve and protect!” She couldn’t stop herself and continued to rant, “The people will tolerate it no longer!”

Uther stormed across the room towards her. “I said enough!”

“They are rising up against you!” She watched as Uther’s movements stilled. Her fury abating, she muttered, “From this day forward, I do not know you. From this day forward, I disown you.” She pushed past him and walked towards the door.

Uther bellowed from behind her, “You will go to your chambers!”

Morgana froze at the door, her outstretched hands clutching the wood to hold in her rage. “And you, Uther,” she murmured as she turned her head to face him, “You will go to hell.” She opened the door and left, slamming it shut behind her.

\---

Merlin sat down to eat dinner with Gaius that night, with deep rooted fears swimming through his mind. He had wielded the crystal out in the woods after they had retrieved it, and he had seen terrible things. 

“Merlin? What’s the matter?” Gaius asked.

“It’s the crystal. It harbors a terrible power, Gaius.”

“It’s locked away now, it can do no harm.” Gaius studied Merlin and hesitantly queried, “Unless the damage has already been done.”

“I held it. I knew I shouldn’t, but…” He shook his head. “I couldn’t resist it.” The visions that he saw in the crystal were running through his mind. Camelot was burning, and there were flashes of people he cared about; Morgana was lying on the floor, dead in someone’s arms, and Arthur was screaming. He saw Camelot fall. “I saw things, terrible things.”

“Then you have already paid the price,” Gaius remarked.

Merlin shook his head, “What I saw has not yet come to pass. And I am scared, Gaius, I’m really scared of what the future may hold.”

Gaius knew that this was only one possible future, and he comforted the boy. “The future is as yet unshaped, Merlin. It is we that shape it. It is you, Merlin. The decisions you make, the actions you take. Remember that.”

\---

Morgana was still fuming over her conversation with Uther and she was seriously considering devising an escape plan for Alvarr. Uther would know it was her, though, and she knew that he wouldn’t think twice about locking her up as punishment. Or possibly having her put to death, he had considered it before.

A knock came at her door, and Morgana went to answer it. Arthur was there, looking worried.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

Morgana stepped out of the way and let him inside.

He could tell she was upset with him. “I did everything I could, Morgana. The boy, he’s safe, as far as I know.”

She nodded brusquely. “Thank you.”

From her clipped tones, it was obvious that his attempts were not enough. Years of being around Morgana had taught him to read her body language and her moods. She wanted him to do more. He dropped his head, looking down at the floor. “I can’t save him, Morgana.”

“You mean you won’t.”

He could feel her gaze boring holes in his skin. “You’re right, I won’t.” He lifted his head to meet her eyes. “He is not as innocent as you would believe. He slaughtered several of my men, and he would’ve done the same to me.”

“And I suppose you harmed no one? He’s fighting for his freedom,” Morgana retorted.

Arthur ignored her jab at him and continued, “That doesn’t change his actions. He is a killer, Morgana, and he would see this kingdom destroyed.”

She stared him down, her residual anger from her fight with Uther coming back to the surface. “You’re siding with Uther, then? What happened to being on my side?”

“I am, Morgana! This is your side; you’re just too stubborn to see it,” he insisted.

Morgana let out a sharp, barking laugh.

“It’s not black and white, remember that? You made me see that not all magic is bad, but not all of it is good, either.” He exhaled loudly, his frustration apparent. “This man has done horrible things; he is a bandit, a murderer. Why do you blindly support his actions? You know what he has done is wrong, Morgana.” 

She refused to see reason; it was too difficult to move past her anger. “I stole the crystal, should I pay for it with my life as well?”

He forcefully expelled a sigh from his chest. “That is not the same. You didn’t harm anyone, not intentionally.”

“And what if I did?” she challenged, jutting her chin out at him in defiance.

“Then I would stop you.” He took a step closer to her, peering down into her green eyes. “Because you asked me to.”

She huffed angrily and shoved at his chest. “Get out, Arthur.” A part of her knew that he was right, but she couldn’t admit it out loud.

He took a step back, recognizing that he would not get through to her, not tonight. “You can't save him, Morgana.”

She desperately wanted to scream, to smash everything in her room, but she knew Arthur would stop her. “I said get out.” Something was biting into the palm of her hand, and she looked down to find that she had been squeezing the ring around her neck again. It irritated her that she had become so dependent on this small piece of Arthur, especially when she was arguing with him. She ripped it off of her neck and called out, “Wait.”

Arthur stopped before he reached the door and turned to face her.

Morgana thrust out her hand towards him, the ring still pressed firmly against her palm.

He strode back over to where she stood and held out his hand to take whatever she was offering.

She let the chain drop through her fingers and allowed it hang for a few agonizing seconds before completely dropping the ring into his hand.

Arthur studied it for a moment before recognition set in, and he looked up at Morgana in confusion. “My ring. I thought I had lost it.”

“I took it the other day.” At his questioning look, she shrugged, having no further explanation for him.

He closed his fingers around the ring. “It was my mother’s.”

Morgana’s face softened a little. “I’m sorry.” She was only apologizing for the ring, but it felt like it was for so much more.

He shook his head, laughing to himself. “Don’t be.” He left out that he had considered giving her the ring a million times before; he wanted someone he loved to have it.

She watched his hand intently as he opened it and spun the ring around with his thumb before closing his fingers once more.

Understanding that her earlier request for him to leave was still in place, he tore his eyes away from her face and walked towards the door. His hand stilled as it reached for the doorknob, and he pleaded, “Don’t shut me out, Morgana.” Without giving her a chance to respond, he opened the door and stepped out into the hall. He left the door opened as he walked away, and his footsteps echoed throughout Morgana’s room.

Once his footsteps had faded, Morgana moved across the room to shut her door. As she neared the door, she noticed something on the handle. She carefully picked it up, and a poignant smile crossed her lips. He had left the ring there for her. 

Taking a deep breath, she put it back around her neck.


	11. The Fires of Idirsholas

When it was all over, there was a moment, where Morgana saw the blinking colors of gold and red swirling past her eyes, and wondered if it was all worth it. But that was in the after. This was the before.

\---

Night had fallen in Camelot, and Morgana was plunged deep into the throes of a nightmare. There were men in black, riders with no faces galloping towards Camelot. She saw Arthur, fighting for his life and no one coming to his aide. Then there was nothing but red as blood streamed across her vision.

Waking up with a jolt, Morgana screamed at the top of her lungs. Terrified for Arthur’s safety, she threw back the covers and ran out of her room, forgetting shoes or a cover in her hurry.

She navigated the familiar path with ease, and avoided the guards even in her haste. When she reached his door, she threw it open, praying that he was there and that he was safe. Things had been tense between them since Alvarr’s execution, but the thought of Arthur dying washed away any animosity between them and sent her running to his arms.

Arthur heard the door and woke up, his body on high alert. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and saw Morgana’s silhouette outlined by the light of the hall. He breathed a sigh of relief upon recognizing that there was no threat. Without any explanation needed, he pulled the covers back. “Come here,” he beckoned, his voice thick with sleep.

Morgana shut the door and practically sprinted to the bed. Her face was wet with tears, and she willingly crawled into the bed next to him, curling into his warmth.

Arthur pulled the covers over both of them, never looking away from Morgana’s face. Lifting a hand to brush the tears away from her cheek, he whispered, “Are you alright?”

She ducked her head, pressing her nose against his bare collar bone. She breathed him in, trying to calm her nerves.

He brushed his fingers through her unruly curls, trying to soothe her. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he murmured into her hair, “I’m here, ‘Gana.”

Morgana nodded stiffly, her muscles slowly uncoiling as her body began to relax. 

Arthur wrapped his arm around Morgana’s lower back, holding her tightly against his chest. He could feel the beat of her heart as it hammered away, and he dropped another kiss on the crown of her head. He knew that this was a result of a nightmare, and that she would possibly revert to being cold and distant in the morning, but it didn’t matter tonight.

Eventually Morgana’s heart stopped racing and her mind cleared itself of the horrible sight of Arthur’s blood spilling across the stones. She gently kissed his chest to convey that she was still functioning.

Still half asleep, Arthur nuzzled against her and his eyes started to close. He whispered, “You can sleep now. I’m not going anywhere.”

Terrified of letting him go, Morgana clung to him, her hands desperately seeking purchase as she wound her arms around his shoulders and then down his back. Her nails clawed against his bare skin, but Arthur showed no signs of protest. She finally settled against him, content in the knowledge that he would be safe until morning.

Something in her mind screamed that this would be the last time they would be here, but she ignored the chatter and closed her eyes.

\---

In the light of the dawn, Arthur felt better than he had in days. He woke to the sight of Morgana’s body curved against his with her head resting on his arm. Her chest was rhythmically rising and falling as she continued to sleep beside him and he smiled at the sight. She hadn’t had any trouble sleeping once she was next to him, and the thought made his heart swell with pride. He dragged his fingers leisurely down her spine as he watched her slumber.

It occurred to him that he never wanted her to leave his bed, and he was surprised by the depth of his feelings for this girl. He never realized that he could feel this strongly about anyone. 

Morgana seemed to sense Arthur’s changing mood, because she began to stir.

Arthur kissed her forehead lightly, trying not to wake her up completely.

Morgana was not a heavy sleeper, however, and Arthur could tell from the faster rhythm of her breathing that she was awake. Mumbling, Morgana griped, “You’re thinking too loud.”

He chuckled and pulled her closer so her head was resting on his chest. “Sorry.”

Tilting her chin up to look at his face, Morgana inquired, “What has you in such a pensive mood? It’s unlike you.”

“I do occasionally think about things, Morgana,” he huffed.

She leaned up and kissed the underside of his jaw, a smile on her lips as she pulled away. “No need to get offended, Arthur.” As she settled against him, she prompted, “So, out with it.”

He couldn’t possibly voice the million thoughts running through his head. He couldn’t tell her that he never wanted to wake up without her, that seeing his ring around her neck was giving him ideas he knew she possibly would balk at; it would be too much. So he smiled coyly and mumbled, “It’s nothing, Morgana.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Patting his chest with her hand, she sat up and disentangled herself from his arms. “I should go before Gwen starts to worry.”

His resulting pout was adorable, and despite her attempts to resist, Morgana leaned down and kissed it right off his lips. Her long hair tickled his face as she moved, and Arthur began to laugh low in his chest.

Morgana pulled back and smiled at him, pecking his lips once more for good measure. “Thank you for last night.”

Arthur grinned in return. “You’re always welcome in my bed, Morgana.”

Scoffing at his cheeky response, she stood up to her full height and stepped away from his reaching arms.

He sat up against his pillows, the lack of her presence leaving him cold. “Will I see you later?” His tone let on more of his desperation than he would have liked, but he didn’t retract the statement.

Morgana smiled at his obvious need to have her near him, shaking her head as she walked to the door. “I’m always around, Arthur,” she quipped. With one last look, she slipped out of his room and shut the door behind her.

\---

Unfortunately, Arthur would not be able visit with Morgana later that day, for he was called away on a reconnaissance mission. A man came to the city and claimed that he had seen smoke rising from the citadel at Idirsholas. There was a legend about Idirsholas that said when the fires were lit, the Knights of Medhir would ride again. No one had been in the citadel for over three hundred years, and therefore it was a matter that required investigation.

Though Arthur believed it all to be superstitious nonsense, he had no choice but to ride out and investigate. Uther had commanded it and whether Arthur agreed or not, he must obey his king.

Morgana feared for Arthur’s safety, but there was little she could do save for watch him through her window as he rode away from the city. Merlin was with him, and though Morgana may not trust him with a great many things anymore, she did trust him with Arthur’s life.

Long after Arthur had disappeared over the hills, Morgana remained at her window. Eventually she felt a hand on her shoulder and was jolted out of her trance.

“My lady, you should come and eat something.” Gwen spoke in hushed tones, all too aware of Morgana’s current state.

Morgana nodded stiffly, allowing Gwen to maneuver her away from the window.

Gwen smiled softly at her mistress as she lowered her into a chair at the table. She lightly squeezed Morgana’s shoulder. “He will be fine, Morgana.”

Morgana forced a smile onto her lips, determined to believe Gwen’s words. The images from her dream were flashing across the backs of her eyes, however, and her smile quickly vanished.

\---

After a long walk around the castle with Gwen to calm her nerves, Morgana returned to her chambers feeling better than before. As she entered her room, she noticed that one of the windows was open. She was sure that she had shut it when she left, since there was a chill on the air. It was peculiar, and she found herself drawn closer to the window.

Once she reached it, she noticed something sitting on the sill. It was a small box, and it had clearly been left for her. She was curious as to who would do such a thing. With Arthur and Merlin gone, there were few left with reason to send her trinkets.

Cautiously, Morgana opened the lid to the box, revealing a rolled up piece of parchment inside. Extracting the paper, she unrolled it and began to read the message inside. It was addressed to her, and contained a plea to meet at twilight outside the castle grounds. As she finished the note, she saw the signature of the sender. “Morgause,” she breathed as her eyes scanned over the name.

Morgana bore no ill will against the sorceress, though she had all but forgotten about the bracelet that Morgause had left for her. The note sparked her memory, and she walked over to the drawer where she had stowed the bracelet. She opened the drawer and dug to the bottom to reveal the gold and silver bracelet lying there. She picked it up and studied it for a moment, struck with that same sense of familiarity she had when she first saw Morgause, but she still couldn’t place it. 

Eventually she decided that she would meet with Morgause tonight, if only to return the bracelet. In order to remember, she slipped it onto her wrist, internally promising to only wear it for the day. There was something deeply powerful within this bracelet; she could feel it spiraling out through her veins from the point where the metal touched her skin. It was frightening but invigorating, and she found herself smiling at the sight of it on her wrist.

It was only for today. She would give it back to Morgause tonight, she would.

\---

Arthur and Merlin had been riding for hours, and it was steadily growing darker by the minute. Idirsholas was not close enough, and Arthur was becoming restless. He still thought that this mission was pointless, and as the sun set the distance from home was beginning to make him ache.

He kept thinking back to the night before, and he longed to be in his warm bed with Morgana in his arms again. Throughout the day, he had seriously been considering what it would be like to marry Morgana, and he had yet to come up with a reason why he shouldn’t.

They were young, and he knew Morgana may not want to be tied down to anyone, even if it was him, but maybe in the near future. She was still wearing his ring, and that had to mean something, didn’t it?

Arthur shook his head firmly, trying to focus on the journey and not his daydreams.

Merlin was watching Arthur intently as they rode, noticing the prince’s far off stare. He knew Arthur was not worried about this journey, but Gaius had told him of the legends and Merlin put more stock in these things than Arthur did. There was something dangerous waiting for them ahead, Merlin could feel it.

\---

As night fell in Camelot, Morgana prepared to sneak away to meet with Morgause. She considered telling Gwen of her plans, but she believed Morgause to be relatively trustworthy, and decided that Gwen didn’t need the stress of worrying about her.

Morgana wrapped up in her emerald green cloak and touched the bracelet on her wrist for reassurance before ducking through the corridors. Opting to walk through town without a torch to draw attention to herself, she was extremely cautious as she moved. Eventually she reached the outer wall and opened the gate, exiting the confines of the city.

As she reached the forest, she felt a chill deep in her bones. Her subconscious seemed to remind her of Arthur, and how he wouldn’t approve of this venture. Before she could change her mind, she heard rustling in the trees and spun to face the direction from where the noises had emanated.

Morgause floated gracefully out of the bushes and into the clearing where Morgana stood. She had a smile on her lips as she approached. “It’s good to see you, Morgana.”

Morgana hesitantly returned the smile, still feeling slightly uncomfortable. She pulled the bracelet off of her wrist to let it rest in her palm.

Morgause picked up on Morgana’s emotional struggle and remarked, “You look unwell. Have you not been wearing the bracelet I left you?”

Shaking her head, Morgana extended her hand to offer up the bracelet to Morgause. “It was a very generous gift, but I cannot keep it. It was from your mother, I have no right to such a precious heirloom.”

Morgause cocked her head and smirked, refusing to take the bracelet. “Have you looked closely at this bracelet, Morgana?”

Morgana shook her head and brought the bracelet closer to her face to examine it.

“The markings on the bracelet, they are a symbol of the House of Gorlois.” The name caused Morgana’s eyes to snap up in surprise and Morgause continued, “It was the house to which my mother belonged.” She smiled knowingly and clarified, “ _Our_ mother.”

Morgana’s heart seemed to stop at that moment. Her mouth opened and closed several times, her brain struggling to form words. After a few agonizing seconds she questioned, “What are you saying?”

Smiling wider, Morgause replied, “That you have as much right to this bracelet as I, sister.”

“Sister?” Morgana gasped, the word sounding foreign on her lips. Incredulously she demanded, “How is this possible?”

Taking a breath, Morgause launched into the story of her past. “Our mother, Vivienne, gave birth to me out of wedlock at a young age. Your father, a kind and caring man, loved her despite this, and they married when I was but an infant. He accepted me into his family and adopted me as a daughter, paying no regards to my actual parentage.” 

Morgause paused, noticing Morgana’s sad smile at the mention of her father. She rested her hand atop of Morgana’s shoulder and continued, “However, shortly after you were born, Uther began his purge of magic throughout the kingdom. Our mother was one of the Bendrui, a group of women who had trained to become High Priestesses, and although she did not openly practice, she still was very powerful. She had begun teaching me the ways of magic, and Uther knew of this. In order to save my life, our mother asked your physician, Gaius, to smuggle me out of Camelot. He took me away and helped to fake my death so Uther would not search for me.”

“Gaius?” Morgana asked.

Nodding, Morgause went on with her story. “I was sent to live with the High Priestesses on the Isle of the Blessed. This bracelet was forged there, and our mother gave it to me as a parting gift.”

“And our mother?” Morgana inquired, “What of her? Did she come with you?” Morgana had never known her mother, not truly. Vivienne had vanished before Morgana had reached her first birthday, leaving her solely in Gorlois’s care. 

Morgause shook her head, the sadness clear in her eyes. “I do not know what became of our mother, I am sorry.”

Morgana nodded in acceptance, knowing that it was an unrealistic hope that she would find her mother.

Trying to comfort her younger sister, Morgause smiled and said, “But she would be glad that we have found each other; that much I know.”

The words sunk in, and Morgana slowly put the pieces together. “That is why I feel as though I know you. We are bound by blood.” She reached up to where Morgause’s hand lay on her shoulder and grasped the hand with her own.

“Yes, we are, sister.”

Morgana smiled joyfully, suddenly craving the love of a sister she had never known. 

Morgause’s expression did not reflect Morgana’s joy, and she sighed purposefully. “I would rejoice with you, but regretfully, I cannot stay here.” She pulled her hand back from Morgana’s hold. “Not while Uther still reigns, he would never allow it.”

The reminder of her tyrannical guardian made Morgana’s smile fall away immediately. “Living under his roof is a trying experience, I do not deny it.” The corners of her mouth fell deeper until it became twisted in a grimace, the thought of Uther making her see red. She clenched her fists and dug her nails into her palms to control her rage. “Every day I must live with the knowledge that if he were to discover what I truly am, he would have me killed.”

Morgause frowned. “Your destiny is to become a high priestess as I am, Morgana; you should not fear any man.”

People had been throwing around the idea of her ‘destiny’ quite often as of late, and it made her wary. How did they all know what it was she would become when she herself was still so unsure? She swallowed her doubts and calmly replied, “I do not fear him.”

That made Morgause smile again, and she began to walk around Morgana. “Do you ever dream of a new world, Morgana? One where Uther was no more?”

She wet her lips, considering the question. “Sometimes,” she answered. 

“And is that what you would like?” Morgause asked. “For Uther to be destroyed and his reign come to an end?”

Morgana chuckled to herself. She did, if she was honest. It was horrible, but she knew that everyone in Camelot would be better off without Uther as their king. “Yes,” she admitted. “But it doesn’t matter; the future is not of my making.”

“You underestimate your importance.” Morgause rounded on Morgana, stopping in front of her. “There are ways that you can obtain your desires, Morgana. You only need ask yourself, are you with Uther, or are you with me?”

The question was startling. The idea that lines were being drawn and sides were being taken made it sound like a war was coming, and Morgana wasn’t ready. There were too many different sides already, how could she choose? There was Merlin with his grandiose ideas and superior view of how magic should be used; and then Arthur, who loved her and needed her, but was by default a Pendragon, and therefore something inherently dangerous. She wasn’t sure she could side with either of them, not if her life was on the line. And now this, to decide between Uther, who was her father-figure but a horrendous ruler, and Morgause, who was her newly discovered family, but still a stranger.

In the end, Morgana decided that blood was thicker than any other allegiance, and she answered, “You. I’m with you, sister.”

Morgause grinned, her expression bordering on vicious. “I’m so glad to hear you say that.” Before Morgana could say anything further, Morgause extended a hand to cup her sister’s cheek.

The last thing Morgana saw was the gold of Morgause’s eyes before her whole world went black.

\---

The next morning Morgana awoke in her own bed, unable to remember how she got there. She was in her nightdress and her hair was undone, but she couldn’t recall anything after her conversation with Morgause in the woods.

Gwen came in to wake Morgana, but found her already sitting up in bed. “Good morning, my lady.”

Morgana smiled at her friend, suddenly wanting to tell her all about what had happened last night. She had found her sister, and the news was something she was dying to share. “Gwen, you’ll never believe what—” She stopped short, noticing the tired expression marring Guinevere’s features.

Gwen yawned deeply, struggling to listen to Morgana. “I’m so sorry, Morgana, what were you saying?”

Morgana cocked her head, assessing Gwen’s appearance. “Did you sleep at all last night, Gwen?”

She tried to deny it, but she was clearly exhausted. “Not very well, I must say. I’ll be fine, though, don’t worry about me.”

“Maybe you should take the day off, get some rest. I can take care of things here,” Morgana offered.

Guinevere smiled. “You are too kind to me. But I will be fine, really.”

Morgana nodded and excused her maid to go and do her work. She was worried about her friend, but she herself was accustomed to sleepless nights, and she knew that it would pass with time.

\---

Morgana’s initial worry was not unfounded, it seemed, for later in the day, she watched as Gwen nearly collapsed while cleaning her chambers.

“Gwen!” Morgana called out. She rushed over to the girl, catching her in her arms before Gwen could hit the ground.

Gwen could barely keep her eyes open. She looked up at Morgana, the vision of her face blurring. “What’s happening?”

Morgana was at a loss. Gwen must be coming down with something serious, she had never collapsed like this before, even when she was sick. “I don’t know. But I’m going to get Gaius, maybe he can help.”

Gwen nodded, her head falling to rest against her shoulder as she started to fall asleep again.

Using all her strength, Morgana lifted Gwen up and set her on the bed. Gwen barely registered that she was being moved, and it scared Morgana. She left her chambers, reluctant to leave Gwen, but determined to get help.

As she walked through the corridors, she noticed that there weren’t any other people around. No guards on patrol, no servants doing their work. It was like everyone had disappeared. She exited the castle with a lump in her throat. The sunlight blinded her for a moment, but as her eyes adjusted, she took in the sight of the square. Her gasp echoed off the stones, with no sounds to block it. 

There were people strewn all across the square, some lying prone on the ground, some propped up on walls or wagons. None of them were moving, and the silence was deafening.

Morgana walked up to one of them, her hands trembling. Trying her best to steady her fingers, she checked for any signs of life. Thankfully, the man appeared to be breathing. Were all these people asleep? It was too strange. Remembering her mission, she continued on to Gaius’s chambers, her steps hurried.

She didn’t bother to knock, opening the door and waltzing inside. “Gaius?” His chambers were quiet as well, and she began to fear the worst. “Gaius?” she asked again.

She spotted the older man sitting at his workbench, slumped over onto the table. Morgana ran to him and shook his shoulders, praying that he wasn’t asleep as well. “Please, Gaius, please!”

His eyes opened for half a second, noticing Morgana’s presence. “Morgana?” he questioned, his throat thick with sleep.

Her face lit up with hopefulness. “Yes, Gaius, it’s me! Please, you have to help me. Everyone is sick, we need to stop it!”

His head bobbed and his eyes blinked repeatedly. He hummed as though he agreed. “That’s nice, Morgana.” His head fell forwards again, nearly crashing against the table.

Sighing in frustration, Morgana left Gaius where he lay, determined to find someone else who was still awake and could help her.

\---

After arriving at Idirsholas, Arthur and Merlin had been shocked to find that the castle was not as abandoned as they had presumed. It was inhabited by seven knights in black who seemingly couldn’t be killed.

They had done their best to fight off the immortal warriors, but there was no stopping them, and eventually all the knights assisting Arthur had been slaughtered. 

Merlin had grabbed Arthur roughly by the arm and dragged him away, desperate to save the prince from sharing the same fate as his men.

They ran until they reached the safety of woods, never once looking back. Arthur rounded up the horses while Merlin tended to his first battle wound. Once Arthur returned, they mounted their horses and returned to Camelot at a breakneck pace, determined to reach home.

\---

Everywhere Morgana went, she found people falling asleep. She had even resorted to seeking out the King’s assistance, but he had fallen ill sooner than the rest and had long since been asleep. 

As time ticked by, Morgana discovered that she was the only one left awake in all of Camelot. She had tried the few spells she knew that could potentially help, but she didn’t have an extensive knowledge of magic, and her attempts were unsuccessful.

She was in the middle of searching for one of Merlin’s magical texts in his chambers when she heard the sound of hoof beats reverberating off the cobblestones. There were people approaching Camelot, and the whole city was left defenseless. Fearing the worst, she ran back to her chambers, praying that no one would see her.

Once in the relative safety of her chambers, Morgana peered out of the window to see who the newcomers were. Two horses rode into the square, and the sight of their riders was a welcome one indeed. Morgana sighed in relief and left her spot by the window to go down and meet them.

\---

As Arthur and Merlin rode into Camelot, they were greeted by the sight of a dozen people strewn across the square. 

“Are they dead?” Merlin questioned.

Arthur dismounted and checked some of the bodies, finding them to be alive. “They’re breathing.”

As they walked further into the square, they found more bodies, each one fast asleep. In the bizarre silence of the square, the distinct noise of a door being opened was loud enough to catch both Merlin and Arthur’s attention. 

Arthur whipped his head around, searching for the source of the noise. He noticed the main door to the castle opening, and out of it came Morgana, barreling towards him.

“Arthur!” Morgana cried, the distress from the events of the day leaving her shaken and yearning for another living person to comfort her. She ran at him full tilt, and without bothering to slow her momentum, she crashed into him, throwing her arms around his neck.

Arthur caught her with practiced reflexes, his arm wrapping around her back as her chest collided with his. Her hair whipped past his face from the force of her body launching into his embrace, the smell of lavender drifting past his nose. “Morgana,” he murmured, his mouth pressed into the curve of her neck.

She allowed herself to hide her face for a moment longer, the cool metal of his chainmail digging into her chin as she shut her eyes against the world. Reluctantly, she pulled back so she could look into Arthur’s eyes.

Arthur loosened his hold but did not let her go completely. “Morgana, what’s happened?”

Morgana ducked her head, tears pricking at her eyes. She took a deep breath to calm down, knowing that waterworks weren’t the way to fix this. “Everyone is asleep. They started out complaining about not feeling well, but then they all started falling asleep, everywhere I went.”

“Everyone?” Arthur questioned.

“As far as I know. I tried to stop it, Arthur, I did, but there was nothing I could do. Nothing will wake them.” She spared a glance in Merlin’s direction. “Gaius succumbed to the sickness as well.”

Arthur shook his head dejectedly. Without Gaius they would have to solve this without medical assistance. Catching Morgana’s eye once more, he asked, “And the king?”

“Sleep pulled him under, too,” she replied.

Merlin slowly walked up to stand with the pair. “We should probably get inside.” He felt like they were too exposed out in the open.

Arthur nodded and released Morgana from his arms. All three strode into the castle’s deserted halls, the silence palpable and disconcerting. As they walked, Morgana kept glancing over at Merlin, wondering what his take was on all of this. She hadn’t spoken to him recently, but he knew more about magic than she did, and perhaps he could undo this spell. He never looked back at her, however, so she turned her gaze on the path in front of them.

They found themselves in Morgana’s chambers, since it was the closest. Once they got there, Arthur started asking more questions, trying to get a detailed description of what had transpired.

Morgana explained that there was little to the story. No one had come, there had been no attacks; the people simply fell asleep.

After listening to her explanation, Arthur cocked his head, confusion in his eyes. “Morgana… why are you the only one awake?”

The question took her aback. She had been so busy trying to save everyone that it had never occurred to her that she was the only one who hadn’t fallen ill. Once she thought about it, it seemed strange; she hadn’t so much as yawned all day, she was fine. “I… I don’t know, Arthur.”

Merlin stepped in, offering an idea. “I think I might.”

Morgana’s eyes flew over to Merlin, shocked that he was speaking to her.

“Morgana, it might be…” Merlin looked over at Arthur, as though he was debating whether it was safe to say the next words. “Your magic,” he whispered, “It’s protecting you somehow.”

Arthur stared at Merlin in stunned silence before sharply turning on Morgana. “ _He_ knows?”

Morgana waved off Arthur’s indignation. “Yes. But now’s not the time. We have to find a way to fix this before you fall asleep too.”

Arthur grumbled under his breath, “Can’t believe you told him.”

Morgana rolled her eyes. Arthur could be so petty. “We can talk about it later, Arthur. If you’re still awake, that is.”

Huffing, Arthur kept quiet about it for the time being.

\---

Over the next hour, the three tried everything they knew to wake the people. Morgana tried some spells with Arthur while Merlin snuck down to Gaius’s chambers under the pretense of finding a potion that would work as an antidote.

Arthur stood by the window most of the time, watching and waiting. He alternated between that and pacing, until Morgana yelled at him and he sat down.

Morgana was growing weary, her attempts at magic taking their toll. “I don’t know anything else, Arthur,” she admitted.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Arthur kicked a chair over in aggravation. Sighing, he ran a hand over his face. Knowing that he had to hold it together for Morgana’s sake, he took a deep breath and pushed his shoulder’s back to stand tall. “Then we have no choice. We have to leave Camelot until we can find a cure.”

Morgana gazed at him, wide-eyed. “Arthur, you’re talking about leaving your people.”

He shook his head. “I’m no good to them if I’m asleep as well.” He could already feel the effects of the spell, his vision kept blurring and his limbs felt heavy.

Morgana nodded in agreement. “I understand.” She rose from her spot on the bed, walking over to Arthur. She set a hand over his heart, prepared to comfort him, but they were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

Merlin stood there, gasping for breath. “The Knights of Medhir, they’re coming.” He looked over at Arthur. “And they have an extra rider with them.”

Arthur ran to the window and saw the figures as they neared the city. “The city is defenseless.” He turned around to face Merlin and Morgana. “We need to find the king, he probably is their target.”

Morgana took in Arthur’s statement and a feeling of dread washed over her. It couldn’t be Morgause, could it? She struggled to remember the events of the previous night, but she couldn’t think of anything useful. 

“Morgana?” Arthur called.

Jolted out of her thoughts, Morgana looked over at Arthur. “What?”

“Where is my father?” he asked. He looked concerned, and it surprised Morgana. He hadn’t referred to Uther as his father in a long time.

Quietly, she replied, “He’s in his chambers.”

“That’ll be the first place they’ll look for him. We have to move him.”

\---

They found Uther where Morgana had left him, and they picked him up and dragged him to another room.

As the boys set him down, they both looked exhausted from the exertion. Merlin looked over at Arthur, who was sweating and breathing heavily. “Are you alright?”

Arthur looked back at Merlin, noticing that the boy appeared to be in the same condition. “You’re feeling it, too?”

Merlin’s eyes widened as realization washed over him. “We’re getting sick.” He looked over at Morgana, seeing that she was still unaffected.

Morgana heard Merlin’s admission and her heart nearly stopped. Arthur didn’t suspect anything, but she knew; if Merlin was sick, then something else was protecting her, and it wasn’t her magic. She stared back at Merlin, noticing the all too familiar look of suspicion on his face.

Arthur started to discuss plans of saving the king with Merlin, but Morgana tuned them out, stuck in her thoughts. She didn’t know how, but this sickness was connected to her. She remembered the promise she had made to Morgause, about choosing sides, and she felt sick. If this was her sister’s plan, she couldn’t betray her, but she knew that this was dangerous ground she was treading.

\---

Merlin came up with a plan to disguise the king, so he went to go find clothes, much to Morgana’s relief. She couldn’t bear to be stuck next to him, knowing he was judging her, especially when she was still unaware of exactly what she had done wrong.

Arthur was blissfully unaware, but he wasn’t completely unburdened, since he was fighting to hold on and beat the sickness. He found himself stumbling and nearly collapsed against the wall.

Morgana noticed and immediately ran to his side. “Arthur…” She whispered his name like a prayer, hoping desperately for him to stay with her.

He stood up, the action painstakingly slow. “It’s getting worse.”

Grasping his face in her hands, Morgana pulled him closer. His skin was warm under her hands, the sickness taking its toll. Swallowing her fears, she demanded, “You must stay awake. You can beat this, Arthur, you will.” Using her grip on his face, she yanked him down to her waiting lips. She kissed him fiercely, letting him use her as an anchor to stop from slipping away.

Arthur was breathing heavily as he pulled away, but he looked more alert than he had moments before. He chuckled, “How could anyone fall asleep with you doing things like that?”

Morgana leaned in and kissed him again, this time a bit softer. Her hands slid down over his jaw to rest on the sides of his neck. Lingering over his lips, she murmured into his mouth, “I love you.”

He reached up and covered her hands with his, pulling them away from his neck. “Everything is going to be alright, Morgana.”

She nodded, trying her best to believe him.

He stepped away from her arms. “I should go check on Merlin, he’s been gone a while.” 

Morgana sat down in a chair, staring at where Uther’s body lay on the floor as Arthur left her alone. All this trouble for a man she despised, it seemed so silly; but if Arthur felt it was important, she would help him.

\---

A few minutes had passed before Morgana heard the door open again. Merlin came in the room carrying supplies, but Arthur wasn’t with him. 

He stared at her in consternation, something strange lurking behind his eyes. “They’re here. They’re in the castle.”

“Where’s Arthur?” she asked.

“He’s gone to find somewhere safe to move to.” Merlin replied, trying his hardest to avoid looking at her.

Morgana watched as Merlin started to prepare to move the king. Something was weighing on her, and she felt that she had to say something. “You’re getting sick,” she muttered.

Merlin’s movements stilled, and he slowly turned to face her. “Yes.”

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment before releasing it with a soft pop. Quietly, she asked, “Then what is protecting me?”

His eyes roved over her form, as though he was searching for something. It was clear from his face that he had his suspicions, but he said nothing.

“Merlin--” Morgana started, but she was interrupted by the door opening as Arthur barged into the room.

His expression was one of anger, and he ran past Morgana to the king. “We need to move him now, Morgause is coming.”

The name rung in Morgana’s ears, and her breath caught in her throat. “Morgause.” The word came out as a statement, not a question. The pieces were falling into place, and Morgana started to comprehend her part in all of this.

Merlin’s head snapped around when he heard her. He watched her, assessing her reaction to the news.

Arthur didn’t notice the silent exchange; he was too focused on Uther. “We need to get out of Camelot, it’s the only way.” 

They began dragging Uther down a hallway, using a sheet now to pull him to make it easier. As they rounded a corner, two of the knights appeared in front of them.

“Arthur!” Morgana screamed.

Arthur dropped his hold on the sheet, unsheathing his sword and spinning around to fight the knights. “Get out of here!” he yelled.

Morgana and Merlin tugged Uther in a different direction, as Arthur fought off the attackers.

As they went down another hallway, another knight caught sight of them. He began to follow the pair as they hurriedly tugged Uther.

Morgana struggled to move fast enough, and her foot caught on the hem of her skirt. She tripped and tumbled to the floor, letting go of the sheet as she fell. The knight was gaining on them, and Morgana called out, “Merlin!”

Merlin considered the situation for a moment, but remembered something he had learned only a short while ago. Morgana was the source of this spell, she was working with Morgause. In order to stop this, Morgana had to die, and perhaps this was the way. Arthur would be devastated, but if it could save the kingdom… He began to pull Uther on his own, leaving Morgana where she fell.

Morgana crawled backwards, trying to escape the knight. She turned her head to look at Merlin, begging, “Please!”

The knight was on top of Morgana now, and he raised his sword to deliver the killing blow.

Unable to do anything to stop it, Morgana screamed at the top of her lungs, closing her eyes in fear.

However, the knight slowed in his actions before his sword hit her neck. The empty eyes looked down at her, chilling her to the bone.

Before Morgana could react to the strange situation, she heard Arthur’s yell as he ran towards them. He attacked the knight from behind, desperate to save Morgana. He shoved the knight hard and managed to knock the creature down a flight of stairs.

Arthur grabbed Morgana under her arms and lifted her up from the floor. He was too weak to carry her, so he took her by the hand and started to run, following Merlin.

They made it to the throne room and barricaded the door. Arthur shook his head to try and clear his muddled thoughts. The sickness was getting worse, and he was barely able to stay on his feet. “We need to find a way out of the city.”

Morgana knew that he was right, but they would never get past the knights. “How? We’ll never be able to drag Uther that far.”

Merlin piped up, “There was a cart in the square; we could carry him in that.”

A smile crossed Arthur’s lips and he ran over to look out the window. He could see the cart, but it was far away. He went back to stand by Morgana. Reaching into his boot, he pulled out his spare dagger and handed it to her. “Morgana, I need you to cut up the blanket and tie it together, we can use it to lower my father down to the cart.” 

She took the proffered dagger, but she was skeptical. “Lower him?”

“We’re going to go out the window,” Arthur explained. Leaving her to her task, he went over to the door and started to remove the barrier keeping it shut.

“Arthur!” Morgana yelled, shocked by his actions. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to fetch the cart round to the window.” His tone conveyed his determination, but it was clear from his face that he was on the brink of exhaustion.

Merlin went to Arthur’s side. “You’ll never reach the cart alone, Arthur. It’s suicide.” 

Morgana’s nightmare rushed back in flashes, the sight of Arthur’s blood clouding her eyes.

Arthur steadied himself against the strong wooden door. “I have no choice. I have to try.”

Merlin appeared to accept Arthur’s decision, but Morgana was terrified.

Arthur grabbed Merlin’s skin of water and poured some on his face to help him stay alert. He looked over at Morgana and mouthed, “I love you.” He gave her a small smile, one that seemed to say that he hoped to see her soon.

She wanted to say it back, or at least return the smile, but she couldn’t even manage to breathe.

Arthur nodded to Merlin before lifting the bar off of the door and pulling out his sword. Taking a deep breath, he threw the door open and ducked out into the hall.

Merlin quickly shut the door and put the barrier back in place.

Morgana stared at the spot where Arthur had been standing moments before, unable to move. “He’s not going to survive out there,” she muttered, the words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

“I know,” Merlin admitted.

Glaring at the sorcerer, she finally gained the courage to confront him. “What do you know, Merlin? You were willing to let that knight kill me, I want to know why.”

He was surprised by her demands, since he had expected her to deny her involvement with the sickness. “This spell is powerful, Morgana; it has to have something strong to sustain it.” He watched her face for a moment before ducking his head, fearing her reaction. “In order to break this spell, we have to eradicate the source of its magic,” he explained.

“What is the source?” Morgana asked, dreading the answer.

Merlin forced himself to meet her eyes. “It's you, Morgana.”

“And the only way to break it is to…” she trailed off, the words too painful.

Merlin supplied the rest for her. “Kill you.”

Morgana’s mouth had suddenly gone dry, and she tried to wet her lips. “You were willing to let me die to save Camelot, weren’t you?”

He had the decency to look ashamed. “I didn’t want to, but what you’re doing, Morgana, it is dangerous. You cannot trust Morgause.”

Anger flamed up inside of her. How dare Merlin judge her after all he has done. “She has reasons for wanting Uther dead, as do I. He would see us all killed, why should we not kill him first?”

He saw past her anger, knowing that she was bluffing. “You had the chance to kill him before, but you didn’t. You cannot stoop to his level, Morgana, you are better than that.”

She didn’t dare question how he knew of her ill-attempted assassination. She was still processing the information that the solution to their problem was her death. She did not fear death, but she would not choose for her life to end at this moment, not if she could help it. Taking a breath, she murmured, “Just help me with the blanket.” 

\---

It had been a long time since Arthur had left, and the sounds of swords clashing could be heard outside of the door. Morgana had finished ripping the blanket apart, and she sat on the floor watching Merlin from a distance.

Desperate for anything to block out the sounds from outside, Merlin turned to Morgana. “We have to find a solution, Morgana. We won’t last like this.”

She tried to focus on tying knots in the material, but her fingers kept slipping. “I could try and stop her. Morgause will listen to me.”

Merlin stared at her, inquiring, “And if she doesn’t?”

Swallowing hard, she answered. “Then you’ll kill me.” She knew that he had planned to do it, and he probably had a means of doing so with him right now. Her nightmare had been playing on a loop in her mind, and she couldn’t let Arthur meet that fate, no matter how much she craved her sister’s love and Uther’s demise.

She stood up and walked to the door, removing the barrier. Knowing that Morgause would be able to hear her, she projected her thoughts as loudly as she could manage. “ _Sister, come to me_ ,” she thought. For insurance, she added, “ _The king is here._ ”

Merlin watched, allowing Morgana to try, but knowing the potential for disaster. He fingered the small bottle of hemlock in his pocket, prepared for the worst.

\---

Morgause heard her sister’s plea and came running, leaving the knights to fight Arthur. They would dispose of him soon enough, and then they could join her in killing the king. She followed Morgana’s trail and reached the throne room. She threw the door open dramatically, striding into the room.

Morgana tried to hide her discomfort, but it was obvious that she was nervous.

Merlin stood hidden away in the shadows, not wanting to reveal his presence yet.

Morgause smiled brightly at Morgana and came over to embrace her sister. “You’ve done well, Morgana,” she whispered into Morgana’s ear, her arms winding ever tighter.

Leaning back, Morgana pushed Morgause’s arms away. “No.” She shook her head. “I need you to stop the spell.”

Confusion swept across her face, marring her delicate features. “I don’t understand. We’re so close; we have almost reached our victory.” She looked over to where Uther lay. “We need only take that final step and we will be free.”

Morgana placed herself deliberately between Uther and Morgause, blocking the king from view. “I cannot let you do this. This isn’t the way to gain our freedom.”

Morgause looked disgusted by her sister’s decision. “You’re choosing him? Over your own flesh and blood?”

Morgana shook her head and vehemently exclaimed, “I’m choosing me!”

Morgause countered, “I did this to save you. Uther will see you killed, Morgana! He does not care for you; he will not spare your life.”

Shaking her head, Morgana scoffed, “You are no better. You used me! Do you know what I have been through, watching this sickness claim everyone I love?”

“I was helping you!” The blonde sorceress was slowly losing her patience. “The Knights will execute the king and then the spell will lift. Everyone you love will be safe once more.”

Morgana wanted desperately to believe her, but she could still hear Arthur fighting for his life in the hall. She remembered her dream and snapped, “They’re going to kill Arthur!”

Morgause huffed, not amused by her sister’s persistence. “He was supposed to be asleep, all of them were!” Softening, she lowered her voice and continued, “I wanted Uther dead, no one else. I put them to sleep to spare their lives; it was an act of mercy. I did it for you, sister.”

“But Arthur isn’t asleep and he will die, I have seen it. You must stop this!” She couldn’t stop picturing him dying; it was all that was driving her now.

Narrowing her eyes, Morgause replied, her voice filled with anger once more, “Perhaps he should die! He is a Pendragon, Morgana; he is no different than his father.”

“No! You don’t know him. I will not let him die!” Morgana shouted. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides, feeling the distinct pressure of magic building up in her chest as she fumed.

Morgause shook her head regretfully, refusing to give in to her sister’s foolish demands. “I cannot stop this, Morgana. Not until my work is done.” 

Taking a breath, Morgana straightened to her full height, preparing for what she was about to do. “Then you leave me no choice.” She took out the potion she had pilfered from Merlin’s pockets and held it where Morgause could see. “Now you must choose, sister. Between me and your vengeance.”

Merlin sucked in a gulp of air, patting down his now empty pockets in disbelief.

Morgause seemed unaffected by Morgana’s challenge and laughed harshly. “Silly girl.” Her eyes flashed gold and in a blink the potion had flown across the room and into her palm. “You think I would let you die so easily?”

Morgana looked at her empty hand, cursing herself for not seeing that coming. A scream could be heard, and Morgana knew that she was wasting precious time. Arthur would lose this fight, and the knights would not hesitate to run him through. She resorted to begging. “Please, Morgause. I cannot lose Arthur, I just can’t.”

Ducking her head, Morgause murmured, “I am sorry, sister.” She lifted her hand in the air, meeting Morgana’s eyes. With a few mumbled words, she caused Morgana to fly across the room, clearing the path to the king.

Merlin came out of his hiding place, ready to fight Morgause. “You should have listened to her,” he warned.

Morgause tried to throw Merlin with her magic as well, but he blocked the spell before it could affect him. She was shocked by the revelation, but it didn’t shake the smile from her lips. “It doesn’t matter how you try to fight, sleep will consume you, warlock; and when it does, Uther Pendragon will meet his end.”

A soft, “No,” could be heard from across the room. Morgana pushed herself off the floor, pressing her back against a pillar.

Morgause turned her head to look at her sister, her reaction too slow this time. 

“He won’t.” Morgana raised the dagger Arthur had given her and brought it down in one sharp movement, stabbing it deep into her gut. Unable to control it, she let out a cry of pain. The warmth of the blood caressed her fingers as it rolled down over the hilt of the blade.

Screaming both for her sister and her failed plans, Morgause attempted to run to Morgana’s side. 

Merlin knew that Morgause would only try to stop it, and he couldn’t let Morgana’s sacrifice be in vain. He uttered a spell, freezing Morgause in her tracks.

Morgana rest against the stone pillar, her breath coming in slow gasps. Her voice quaked, but she managed to command, “Call off the knights, Morgause.”

Morgause’s eyes were brimming with tears as she helplessly watched her sister die. “Sister,” she cried.

“It’s too late. The spell is breaking, I can feel it,” Morgana coughed.

Merlin stepped in, “The city will wake, and the knights will never reach Uther. You have lost, Morgause.”

“I wanted so much more for you, Morgana.” Morgause continued to cry. Reluctantly, she began to chant the words to a spell. Her eyes glowed gold again; and then there was nothing but a crushing silence.

The sounds of fighting had stopped, but so had the sound of Morgana’s gasping breaths. 

Merlin released his hold on Morgause, who immediately tried to run to her sister. She was cut off halfway, however, as Arthur barreled into the room. He caught sight of Morgause first, raising his sword to fight her.

Morgause glanced regretfully at her sister before muttering another spell. A cloud of smoke spun around in the air, engulfing her. As the smoke cleared, a vast emptiness was all that remained. Morgause had vanished.

Arthur chuckled to himself, thinking himself the victor. “We did it. See, Morgana, I told you, we’d—” His eyes had been roaming the room, but he lost his voice when they landed on Merlin. The boy looked as though he would burst into tears, and Arthur immediately followed his eye line, trying to see what was wrong. The sight caused him to audibly choke on his breath, his body struggling to process it.

Morgana was lying halfway propped up against a pillar, her head hanging limp against her chest and her skin drained of color. There was blood, so much blood surrounding her; it looked as though she had been drowned in it.

Arthur all but threw himself at her, his whole body collapsing next to her under the force of his grief. He collected her into his arms, pulling her across his lap. “Morgana,” he sobbed, his voice cracking with emotion. Cradling her head, he tried to get her to open her eyes. “Morgana, wake up. Please, wake up!”

Merlin watched in vain as Arthur started weeping. The prince lost all intelligible speech; his attempts to speak came out as pained whines. It was the most devastating thing that Merlin had ever witnessed, and he couldn’t help but cry as well.

Arthur bent down over Morgana, letting their foreheads touch. He kissed her lips once, twice, possibly a hundred times, but he never received any response. He couldn’t comprehend this, this couldn’t possibly be happening.

Merlin could hear the king beginning to stir behind him, but he didn’t care. Arthur had started to scream, and Merlin was losing all vestiges of his sanity. He should’ve done something; he should’ve known that this wasn’t the right decision. He wished more than anything that he knew an effective healing spell, but he was at a loss. He could not help Morgana anymore.

Uther rose from his slumber to the sound of his son in pain. He saw the scene before him and gasped.

The newly awoken guards began pouring into the room, all rushing to help Uther.

The king shoved them away, ordering them to help his son instead. It took several agonizing minutes, but eventually the guards pried Arthur away from Morgana’s body.

Arthur continued to scream, attacking the guards with flailing limbs as they pulled him away.

Eventually Merlin went to help, trying to calm his friend. He watched in his peripheral vision as the guards carried Morgana’s body away. Her hand dragged along the floor as they carried her, trailing a line of blood from her fingertips. Merlin cautiously guided Arthur back to his chambers and tried to get the prince to sleep. In the end, he stayed there with Arthur for hours, long after the screams had subsided and left Arthur in a comatose state.

It took almost an entire day, but Arthur finally opened his mouth to speak. “She’s gone.” It was all he said, and he refused to say any more after that.

\---

Everyone in the whole city was broken by the news of Morgana’s passing. Guinevere helped to arrange Morgana’s funeral, knowing better than anyone what Morgana would have wanted. Arthur gave no input on the matter, still walking around in his zombie-like state.

They decided to give Morgana a funeral boat, since a pyre seemed wrong for someone who had been longing to be free. Guinevere decorated the boat with flowers, the purple ones that she used to pick for her mistress, and the white lilies that had been Morgana’s favorite. 

Merlin suggested that they send her boat off at the edge of the lake that held the Isle of the Blessed in its center, knowing that it would’ve been important to Morgana. No one else seemed to understand the significance, but Morgana would’ve liked it, so Merlin made the decision.

They held the funeral the next day, and Merlin had to drag Arthur the whole way to the lake. Merlin and Guinevere refused to let the archers shoot burning arrows at the boat, despite what Uther had wanted. Morgana should be left whole to wash up on the shores, not charred and turned to ash.

As they went to send the boat away, Arthur finally moved on his own accord. He walked down to the boat and stared vacantly at Morgana, as though he didn’t even see her. He reached a hand into the boat, lightly dragging his fingers along the column of Morgana’s neck. 

No one said a word as Arthur spent his last moments with the woman he loved.

His fingers stopped as they reached the chain of her necklace, his fingers running over the metal until they reached the ring at the bottom. The piece of jewelry was resting in the hollow of her throat, and Arthur stroked it lovingly. He had his first coherent thought since he had lost her, and he contemplated taking the ring back, but then he remembered that it was right where it belonged. With her, always. Bending down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before standing up and returning to the bank of the lake.

The boat was sent out, and everyone watched with heavy hearts. 

Arthur remained there until it grew dark, staring out over the water as Morgana drifted away. He could no longer see the boat, but he still hadn’t moved.

Merlin eventually came down and took Arthur by the arm, gently leading him away.

\---

Morgana’s boat landed quietly on the shores of the Isle of the Blessed. The island had been abandoned since Nimueh’s death, but something was stirring on the banks.

A woman welcomed the boat and its passenger, taking them both up onto the land. Smiling, the woman ran a hand over Morgana’s cheek, her golden hair cascading over the red of her dress, leaving the colors blinking over Morgana’s unopened eyes.


	12. The Last Dragonlord

Arthur was completely unreachable after Morgana’s death. It was like a part of him had died with her; he no longer was truly living.

Merlin was growing increasingly worried. He needed Arthur to get better; they could never bring about Albion if Arthur stayed like this. More than likely, at this rate Arthur would end up getting himself killed, and Merlin wondered if Arthur would prefer it that way.

Arthur had gained his ability to speak again, briefly, when he asked Merlin to explain what had happened on that day.

Merlin froze, terrified of what the truth may do to Arthur. He chose to blur the reality in the end, telling Arthur that Morgana had tried to stop the spell, but Morgause had been stronger, and caused Morgana’s demise. It felt wrong, but vilifying Morgause was better than telling Arthur that Morgana had taken her own life.

Anger clouded Arthur’s eyes, the first sign of emotion that he had shown since his breakdown. He nodded stiffly, accepting the information. He thanked Merlin and then promptly sent the boy off to do chores, shutting himself away again.

Merlin reluctantly left, feeling useless to help Arthur through this. He contemplated asking the dragon, and that’s when he remembered; he had a promise to keep. If he couldn’t help Arthur, he supposed that it was his duty to at least help the dragon; he had sworn on his mother’s life, after all.

He had no idea what horrible events were waiting to result from his decision.

\---

The Great Dragon was free once more, and he had made no promises to spare Camelot from his wrath. Kilgharrah craved revenge, and nothing was standing in his way.

The dragon began to attack the city, and it was only after Arthur could see the flames through his window that he sprung to action. He still barely spoke, only to order his men, and his mind seemed far away, but he at least made an attempt.

Merlin seemed pleased to see Arthur up and moving, but he feared for what would come.

Arthur fought for his kingdom, but it wasn’t the same. In the back of his mind, he kept seeing Morgana’s lifeless face as she floated away. If she was no longer here, what did he have to fight for? In his daze, he was nearly killed multiple times, but he didn’t care. The pain of losing her was worse than any mortal wounds.

The assault went on for two straight days, and the city was feeling the crushing weight of the sheer destruction. Arthur had not been able to beat back the dragon, and he was growing weary. In between fighting, he would lie in his bed for hours and stare into the dark. He buried his face into the pillows, desperately clinging to the last hints of lavender that still lingered from the night Morgana had spent there. She was disappearing from him bit by bit, and the fight to keep her with him was the most important battle he could wage. 

He didn’t care about the damned dragon, but her voice would ring out in his mind from time to time, and he knew that he needed get up and do something. Reluctantly, he would pull himself out of bed and don his armor to launch another attack, if only for her sake.

\---

Arthur went out to rally his men as the dragon circled the castle. Knowing that another strike was soon to come, he ordered everyone to clear the square, since they were exposed and unprotected.

It wasn’t until he saw Guinevere across the square, struggling to get a water pail filled up, that he truly snapped to attention. Her name fell off his lips, using the nickname that Morgana always preferred, “Gwen…” 

When he noticed that the maid hadn’t registered his call, he tried again. His voice was hoarse from lack of use, but he managed to yell, “Guinevere!”

Gwen heard the prince yelling for her and turned her head, finally noticing the dragon flying ever lower above her head. She grabbed the bucket and began to run, trying to escape the flames.

Arthur knew that she would never outrun the beast, and he took off after her. As the dragon flew down into the square, Arthur found himself shoving Guinevere to the ground, desperate to protect her. He shielded her body with his own, and as a result he felt the scraping of the dragon’s talons as they dug into his shoulder. He let out a groan of pain as he collapsed onto the stones next to Gwen. Knowing that he couldn’t remain there, he sat up and grabbed Guinevere by the hand.

Gwen felt Arthur’s hand in hers and understood, standing up and following him as he ducked around a corner and into a passageway that led to the castle.

\---

Gwen braced Arthur’s weight as they walked to the main hall, the pain from his wounds setting in and causing him to limp. They reached the room filled with dozens of injured citizens of Camelot, and Gwen set Arthur down, letting him sit and rest. She ran to get bandages and supplies to help patch up his wound.

Arthur started to tear his armor off, but he couldn’t manage it on his own. His head was swimming from the pain, and he kept hearing Morgana’s laughter floating through his ears. It was driving him slightly mad, and he tugged harder at the metal plating that was suffocating him.

A pair of gentle hands pulled Arthur’s prying fingers away from his neck and started loosening the armor for him.

Arthur looked up at the person who the hands belonged to, and he started to protest, “You don’t have to—”

Guinevere shushed him and continued to unfasten his armor. “You were going to choke yourself. Besides, I need to clean your wound, and I can’t exactly do that with all this armor in the way.”

Arthur begrudgingly let her continue. Despite his annoyance, he found himself smiling. The laughter in his ears had stopped, replacing itself with the soft sounds of Guinevere humming as she worked. It was soothing, and Arthur shut his eyes and enjoyed it for a moment.

As Gwen finished pulling Arthur’s chainmail over his head, she studied his face, watching as he smiled to himself. She knew better than anyone how much Morgana’s loss hurt, and Arthur was worse off than her. He had been lost for days, wandering aimlessly around the castle unless he was needed. It was heart-breaking to watch him deteriorate, and she knew that he rarely broke out of his trance to do anything. Yet he had managed to do it for her, to save her life. Quietly, she murmured, “You risked your life for me.”

Arthur’s eyes opened, and through the haze, he made out Gwen’s face. She looked truly amazed that he would save her, and that sweet ignorance of her importance was startling. “Of course I did,” he mumbled.

Gwen smiled as she removed Arthur’s shirt, feeling brighter. Picking up a rag, she started cleaning his wound. “Well, thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

For the first time since he sunk into this depression, he laughed. It was a low chuckle, and it rumbled deep in his chest, but it was something. “You know, I like you, Guinevere.” He shook his head at her. “I couldn’t let you get eaten by a dragon; I think I might’ve missed you.”

Gwen tried to hide the brilliance of her smile, ducking her head and focusing completely on Arthur’s wound.

\---

Despite all that Merlin had tried, he was unable to stop the dragon. His magic was useless against such a powerful and ancient creature, and he could do nothing but watch as the city he swore to protect was destroyed.

Arthur and his men gathered to meet with the king, chronicling all the dead and missing people. Uther could not stand to hear of the failings of his kingdom, and he sighed. “There must be some way to rid ourselves of this aberration.”

Arthur collapsed into a chair as his father paced, feeling useless.

Uther turned to the group of men, catching the physician’s eye. He trusted the man’s judgment above most all others, and sought his advice. “Gaius?”

Gaius ducked his head, reluctantly revealing the only solution. “We need a Dragonlord, sire.”

Merlin listened intently as Gaius explained that despite Uther’s beliefs, there could still be one Dragonlord left alive. This was his fault, and if there was any way to fix this, he would not hesitate to take the risk.

Uther seemed reluctant, but Arthur rose from his chair, proclaiming, “If this man still exists, it is our duty to find him. I will go.”

The king disagreed, since this so-called Balinor apparently resided in Cenred’s lands. “It is too dangerous.”

“More dangerous than staying here?” Arthur snapped. “I will not stand by and watch my men die when I have the chance to save them!” 

Uther shook his head. “I have given you my orders.”

Arthur stood up straighter, refusing to back down. “I cannot stay here and watch everyone I care about be taken from me.” His fists were clenched so tightly that his blunt nails were digging into his skin. He was breathing through pinched nostrils, trying his best not to break down. “Not again,” he muttered. “Not when I can do something about it!”

The room went quiet, the underlying message in Arthur’s words ringing out clear.

“I will ride out immediately.” Arthur brushed past his father, his throat tightening with emotion and his words getting caught as he mumbled, “I will send word once I have found him.”

\---

Arthur and Merlin set out on their journey, both with heavy thoughts weighing on their minds. Arthur couldn’t stop grieving for Morgana, and Merlin was dealing with the news he had just received from Gaius, that this Balinor could be his father. They rode in silence most the way; the only noises were the slight grunts Arthur made due to the soreness in his shoulder, and those were few and far between.

They finally reached Cenred’s lands as it was growing dark, and a storm was brewing. They couldn’t travel any further this night, so they stopped at an inn to rest until morning. The patrons looked at them queerly, but Arthur paid them no mind. Merlin was still off in his own world, and he remained eerily quiet.

As they settled into their room for the night, Arthur decided to break the silence. “Is something troubling you, Merlin? You’re never this quiet.”

Merlin rolled over in his bed to face away from Arthur. “It’s nothing.”

Arthur pulled off his shirt, revealing the bloodied bandages that clung to his skin. He lay down on his bed, propping his head up on a pillow. “You can tell me, Merlin.”

Merlin didn’t want to reveal the reason for his pensive mood, so he remained quiet.

“Come on,” Arthur prompted. “What is it?”

Knowing the best way to make Arthur stop, Merlin answered, “I’ll tell you what it is.” He took a breath; it was a low blow, but he continued, “I miss Morgana.”

Arthur froze, regretting pestering Merlin so doggedly for an answer. “Oh.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, Merlin did miss his friend, but it was cruel to mention it to Arthur, and he regretted his cowardice. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything—”

“No,” Arthur cut him off, “It’s alright.” It stung, but it was nothing new. He sighed, shutting his eyes tightly. “I can’t get it out of my head,” he admitted.

Merlin rolled over onto his back to get a better look at Arthur.

“I shouldn’t have left her alone.” He opened his eyes slowly, staring at the molded ceiling. A short puff of air passed his lips as he exhaled roughly. “I should’ve saved her.”

“Arthur…” Merlin couldn’t find the right words to say, nothing could take the pain away, not really. Limply, he replied, “It wasn’t your fault.”

Arthur shook his head, holding in the laughter that threatened to spill over as if to mock his failures.

Trying to be helpful, Merlin added, “If you want to blame someone, blame Morgause. It was her spell that caused everything.” His mind taunted him; the blame game was a dangerous one, he could easily be held at fault for Morgana’s death as well. It was easy to blame someone who wasn’t here to defend themselves.

Arthur huffed, but the words rang true. “I’m starting to wonder if my father wasn’t right. After all that I’ve seen, all that I’ve lost… maybe magic truly is evil.”

The admission shocked Merlin. After everything that happened with Morgana in the past, he thought Arthur had learned to trust magic. “But, Morgana—” Merlin tried.

Arthur would’ve rolled his eyes if he had the energy. “What good did magic ever do her? It cost Morgana her life in the end. If she had been asleep like everyone else, she never would’ve gotten hurt.”

Merlin sighed; Arthur was losing every bit of progress he had made. “You can’t really think that magic is to blame. Morgana believed it was good, and you trusted her.”

“All I know is that magic took my mother, and now it has taken Morgana from me.” He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “And now this magical beast is destroying our home. How can I not think magic to be evil, Merlin?”

There was no good answer to that question. Merlin rolled over once more, leaving Arthur to his thoughts as they both drifted off to sleep.

\---

After discovering from a bar patron, who nearly robbed them, that Balinor could be found in a cave near the mountains, Arthur and Merlin set off to find him.

As they traveled, Arthur began to feel light-headed and his shoulder started to throb. He nearly lost his balance several times, and Merlin noticed the change.

“Arthur?”

Arthur waved off his concern. “S’alright,” he mumbled. His ability to talk was fading, and it was obvious that something was wrong.

“No it’s not,” Merlin protested. “It’s the wound.” He slowed their pace and turned to Arthur. “Let me look at it.”

Arthur hesitantly allowed Merlin to inspect the wound. “I’m fine,” he griped.

Pulling back Arthur’s bandage, Merlin looked at the cuts along his neck. They weren’t healing properly, and from what he knew from working with Gaius, he would estimate that the wound was infected. If the cuts on his neck were this bad, most likely the rest were as well. The infection was spreading, and clearly Arthur was feeling the effects. “Arthur, this doesn’t look good.”

As if on cue, Arthur stumbled forward. He tried to regain his balance, but his legs could no longer hold his weight. Arthur collapsed to the ground in a heap, his eyes rolling back under his lids as he slipped into unconsciousness.

“Arthur!” Merlin rushed to his side, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. “Arthur!”

The prince gave no response; his mind was slowly shutting down as he sank deeper into the sleep.

Merlin couldn’t stop now; they were in enemy territory, plus every second wasted was a second more that Camelot was still under siege. He bent over and picked Arthur up off the ground, putting the limp body over his shoulder. He managed to throw Arthur across the saddle of one of the horses, and then resumed their journey.

\---

“Arthur,” a voice called out, floating through the mist.

Arthur couldn’t see anything. He was somewhere cool and dark, and the mist was covering everything around him.

“Arthur,” it called again. The voice was soft and soothing, and it wrapped around him as it echoed through the air.

He couldn’t find a way out, the mist was too heavy. He tried to follow the voice, but it seemed to come from everywhere; there was no location to pinpoint.

The voice spoke again, louder this time. “You must open your eyes, Arthur.”

“I can’t,” he croaked. His voice was hoarse; it ached like all the other parts of his body.

Laughter floated on the wind, swirling around his head. “You can.”

Arthur had thought his eyes were already open, but he tried to do as the voice asked. It was so familiar, he trusted it. As he deliberately blinked, he found the mist dissipating around him. The fog fell away, and it revealed a woman standing in front of him. She was dressed in white, with her dark curls creating a stark contrast where they fell over her shoulders.

The woman smiled sweetly at him and walked closer.

His eyes started to clear, and his gaze landed on her face. Her beauty was astounding, and he took in a breath. He knew this woman. There was something hanging from her neck, a chain with a silver ring on it. On a sigh, he breathed her name, “Morgana.”

She extended a hand and cupped his cheek. “Come back to me,” she whispered.

Arthur pulled her hand away from his face, intertwining their fingers and holding tight. He choked on a sob, murmuring, “But you’re gone.”

She shook her head, a watery smile on her lips.

Arthur squeezed her hand harder, refusing to let her go again. “I don’t want to be without you.” A single tear ran down his cheek and he shook his head to clear it. “I miss you.”

“Come back, Arthur, come back,” she begged. She was standing right in front of him, but her voice sounded far away. 

He brought their interlocked hands to his lips, kissing each of her fingers. “I want to stay with you.” 

“Come back,” she repeated. She was vanishing, her fingers slipping out of his grasp, fading like the mist. 

“Morgana,” he cried. “No!” He grabbed for her, scrambling to hold her there, to keep her with him. Despite his efforts, she continued to disappear. “Morgana!” he yelled.

He felt a tugging in his shoulder, but he fought against it. “Morgana—‘Gana, no,” he mumbled. The tugging became more persistent, and he felt the ground give way under his feet, tearing him away.

“Arthur?” Someone was hovering above him, calling his name.

“’Gana,” he coughed. His vision swam and he felt a pulsing under his temples.

“No,” the person above him corrected.

Arthur made out a head of dark hair and a neckerchief. “Merlin?” He sat up, looking around him, taking in his surroundings. He was in a cave it seemed, lying on the floor wrapped up in a blanket. The pain in his shoulder had almost disappeared, and he felt much better.

Merlin smiled down at him, but his eyes were shimmering in the dim light of the fire. He looked like he was hurting, but Arthur was still too groggy to properly understand.

The vision of Morgana was fading from Arthur’s memory, and he gradually recalled what was actually happening. Using his hands to push himself off the ground, he stood up, testing his legs. He felt strong and healthy, which was surprising. He looked at Merlin, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. “How…” he trailed off.

That sad smile was still in place on Merlin’s face, but he answered brightly, “Balinor.”

\---

Balinor refused to help them, even after Merlin and Arthur both explained what was at stake. Balinor did not care about Camelot’s fate, and he refused to help Uther to kill the last remaining dragon. Arthur and Merlin eventually had no choice but to leave without the dragonlord. Arthur wanted to return to help his people as soon as possible.

They rode for a while in silence before stopping to eat. Merlin was being oddly quiet again, and Arthur was starting to get annoyed, and perhaps a bit worried. Before he had the chance to properly question the boy again, their supper was interrupted by a rustling in the woods.

Arthur drew his sword in preparation of a fight, but the intruder revealed themselves, and it was clear that there was no threat.

Balinor had followed them, and he agreed that he would help, if only for the sake of the few good people remaining in Camelot.

They all settled in to rest for the night, feeling confident about the future of Camelot.

\---

As the dawn broke, so did the spell of contentment that had fallen over the camp. Cenred’s men had found them, and they were attacking. Arthur woke Merlin and they both grabbed swords. They fought off the men, along with Balinor’s help, but the ambush had caught them unprepared and they were struggling.

Arthur killed several of the men, but Merlin was not as successful. He wasn’t trained with a sword, and he soon had the weapon knocked from his fingers as he fought. Arthur was busy fighting, and could not come to Merlin’s aide. 

The attacker rounded on Merlin, ready to deliver a killing blow, but he was intercepted. Balinor charged forward with his sword, attempting to fight to save his son’s life. He wasn’t quick enough, however, his reflexes dulled from years of isolation, and he lost his footing for a second. The other man took advantage of the opening, and thrust his sword forward, finding his target.

Merlin watched as his newfound father drew in a shaky breath, his body shuddering from the force of the sword being driven into his stomach. Balinor collapsed backwards into Merlin’s arms as the sword was withdrawn.

Devastated, Merlin screamed, his magic exploding out of him in a fit of rage, causing his father’s murderer to be thrown into a tree.

Arthur was busy defeating the remaining men, but as he finished, he turned and saw Merlin openly weeping over Balinor’s body. In a fit of frustration, Arthur stabbed his sword into the ground and screamed, “No!”

Merlin tried to hold in his sobs, muffling them by clamping his hand over his mouth. He sucked in several wheezing breaths, mourning his loss.

Arthur shook his head, feeling defeated. “Camelot is doomed.”

\---

Arthur and Merlin rode back to Camelot and revealed the news of their failure to Uther with heavy hearts. Arthur refused to quit, though, and he made a plan to go out and make one final stand against the dragon.

Uther gave his blessing, and Arthur gathered a group of brave men who were willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary.

They waited until nightfall to make their stand, and as dusk came, Merlin went to help Arthur prepare. 

Merlin knew what was at stake, and he cautioned Arthur, but Arthur was not afraid to die. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but it was obvious that he would welcome the chance to die if it meant he would see Morgana again. Merlin knew that as well, but he remained silent on the subject.

“I saw you. With the Dragonlord today,” Arthur stated.

Merlin nodded stiffly. 

Arthur wasn’t always the most observant, but he had seen the devastation on Merlin’s face after Balinor’s death. “Who was he?” he asked.

Confused, Merlin’s head shot up and he stared into Arthur’s eyes. “He was Camelot’s last hope, Arthur. That’s all.”

“Merlin,” Arthur chastised. A few months earlier he would have let this go and pretended it was nothing, but not now. “Who was he to you?”

“No one,” Merlin insisted.

“That isn’t how you would react to a stranger’s death, Merlin. This man meant more to you.” Arthur watched Merlin’s face, seeing his jaw twitch. He continued, “I know what it’s like to lose someone important; don’t lie to me. I can see it on your face.”

Merlin wanted to admit the truth, but it was dangerous. “Arthur,” he warned, hoping that the prince would let it go.

“The way you looked, the way you’re acting? I know that feeling. I have been the same way since—” He couldn’t say her name, and he stopped short. Trying again, he prompted, “Was he a friend of Gaius’s? Someone from your past?”

A short burst of laughter escaped Merlin’s mouth. Morgana had changed Arthur in so many ways; he never was this intuitive before her. Merlin lowered his eyes, staring at the floor. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.” 

Arthur may have protected Morgana’s secret, but she had a hold over him that Merlin never would understand. It was different with them. “Arthur.” He shook his head. He wanted to tell Arthur, he had tried in the past, but what if it ruined everything? Perhaps he could tell part of it without revealing the whole. Steeling his nerves, he finally answered. “He was my father.”

Arthur froze. Out of all the answers he had been expecting, that wasn’t one of them. He remembered that Merlin had once confided that he had never met his father. To find him now, only to lose him… Arthur understood how tragic that was. “I’m sorry.”

Merlin bit down on his lip, the emotions surging up again.

It occurred to Arthur what this could mean for Merlin, but he didn’t want to ask. The boy was already broken; he didn’t need any further burden.

Merlin looked up at Arthur, his eyes wet with unshed tears. “There’s more.” Everything inside him was screaming against it, but he had to help if he could. “The line of the Dragonlords, it is passed from father to son.”

Arthur’s eyes lit up with hopefulness. 

“I might be able to stop all this,” Merlin admitted.

There was no time for suspicion or doubt at this point. Arthur simply smiled and said, “Then we may just have hope yet.” 

\---

On that field, Arthur and Merlin managed to conquer the dragon and save Camelot. Despite Arthur’s initial protests, Merlin spared the dragon’s life, knowing that it was too cruel to bring about the extinction of an entire species. He could control the dragon now, and Kilgharrah would never again be allowed to harm Camelot or any of its people.

They didn’t speak about Merlin’s Dragonlord abilities, or anything related to it, after their battle. However, it was implied that Arthur would keep it quiet, and Merlin trusted him. Arthur chose not to really think on it. Merlin was still the same bumbling servant as always, only now he could communicate with dragons. As long as Merlin still did his chores, Arthur didn’t mind.

After the dragon was banished, the city began to rebuild. Arthur sat on the steps of the castle in the square, watching the people return to their lives. It was a comforting sight, but Arthur couldn’t shake the heavy feeling in his chest. When the dragon had been attacking, all his focus had been on saving his people. Now that the fight was won, he was left without any distractions, and his thoughts went back to Morgana. The lack of her was everywhere, and it made him physically ache. She should be out helping the people, bringing water to the wounded, knocking on his door and burying herself in his arms, but she wasn’t. She was gone. 

He shut his eyes, trying to imagine her there. As he pictured her, he could smell lavender on the breeze, and it made him smile. The smell grew stronger, and he realized it wasn’t in his head. He felt a presence next to him on the steps, and his eyes flew open.

A woman sat next to him, but it wasn’t who he had been expecting. Guinevere gave him a small closed-mouth smile as she arranged her skirts on the steps.

His face fell only marginally; he knew it was too good to be true. “Guinevere,” he breathed. “Good to see you.”

She nodded in return. “I wanted to thank you, for saving Camelot. It was very brave what you did.”

“It wasn’t just me.” He normally would appreciate the flattery, but all he could think about was how Morgana would be making some joke to deflate his ego and break the tension instead of thanking him for his service.

“Still.” Guinevere tried for a wider smile, hoping to boost his spirits.

Her smile usually was infectious, but his mouth stayed set in a hard line. “You’re welcome.”

Gwen sighed; she hadn’t expected him to be cheerful, but he was starting to revert to his comatose state. “You’re missing Morgana.” She didn’t bother to state it as a question, they both knew.

He didn’t dignify it with a response. Of course he was missing her, he felt like he had been ripped in two.

“She wouldn’t want this for you, Arthur.”

The statement shocked him out of his wallowing and he turned his head to stare at Guinevere.

“You can’t keep going on like this. I know it hurts, but Morgana is gone. She’s not coming back.” At Arthur’s narrowing eyes, she continued, interrupting his burgeoning anger, “She’s gone, but you’re still here, Arthur. You’re here, and you have people who need you.”

He scoffed, but it wasn’t a harsh sound. It sounded painful. “Not like I need her,” he countered.

Gwen set a hand on his knee, squeezing it. “I need you, Arthur. So does your father, and Merlin, and all the other people of Camelot. You cannot let this destroy you.”

His eyes focused on Guinevere’s hand where it held onto him. Dimly, he remembered Morgana saying something similar before, and it stung.

“Morgana would want you to be strong. She’d want you to keep going.”

In a surprising show of weakness, he admitted, “I can’t.”

Gwen’s fingers dug deeper into his leg. “You can.” Her voice was full of conviction. “You can be the type of prince she’d want you to be. You just…”

He looked up at her, knowing what was coming, but dreading it still.

“You have to let her go,” Gwen finished.

His eyes fluttered closed, and he held onto to the faint scent of lavender on the air.

\---

While Camelot was rebuilding, miles away across the Great Seas of Meredor, something was changing. On the Isle of the Blessed, the winds were whipping, and magic was crackling in the air.

Morgana’s body lay on a stone slab in the center of the isle, underneath the moonlit sky. She appeared peaceful, but there was something brewing in the mists. The clouds rolled in, and a bolt of lightning cracked through the sky, illuminating the shadowy towers on the island.

As the thunder rolled, and the waters churned, Morgana shot up from the table, taking in a sharp, gasping breath of life. Her eyes flew open, and she greedily sucked in air as her withered lungs began to function once more. As blood flowed to her limbs and gave them feeling, she lifted her arms and touched her chest, trying to process what was happening. Her hands moved to her stomach, feeling the space where a scar should be, but she found nothing there. Her skin was smooth, her body unmarred by any wounds.

Out of the shadows emerged another figure, a blonde woman with a smile firmly in place on her face. “Hello, sister.”

Morgana stared out into the darkness, recognizing Morgause standing there. “What—” she tried to speak, but her vocal chords were rough and her throat dry.

Morgause sauntered over to her sister. “You nearly died, Morgana. I was starting to worry that you wouldn’t ever wake, but as I expected, you’re a fighter.”

Morgana’s eyes conveyed her confusion even though she couldn’t speak the words.

“I told you before Morgana, you are destined to be a High Priestess of the Triple Goddess. The blood that runs through your veins is strong.” With a smirk, she added, “No mortal blade can kill us.”

Unconsciously, Morgana’s hand went back to her stomach, feeling her skin through the hole in her dress. The dress was stained with darkened blood, but the cut had completely healed.

“Your powers are still weak, so it took longer for you to heal. With time, you will gain the strength to heal yourself immediately.”

Morgana’s mind was slowly remembering, and she asked, “How long?”

Morgause replied, “About half a fortnight. It could have been sooner, but I had to wait until after your funeral.”

Funeral. The word made Morgana feel sick. Everyone thought she was dead. “Arthur,” she croaked.

Morgause made a humming noise, but didn’t speak of the prince.

“I have to—” Morgana tried to get off the slab and stand up. She had to get back to Camelot.

Morgause ran over to her sister, pushing her back down onto the stone. She made shushing noises and rubbed her hands over Morgana’s upper arms. “You’re still weak. You need to stay here and regain your strength.”

Morgana vigorously shook her head in protest. “Get away.”

Sighing, Morgause cooed, “Morgana, don’t you understand? You cannot go back there.”

Trying her best to speak, Morgana mumbled, “Once my legs work…” She wanted to leave, she needed to get home. She didn’t trust Morgause anymore.

The blonde shook her head softly, her lips turning down in sadness. “No, Morgana. You don’t see it. You were dead. The level of magic required to bring you back from that…” She took a deep breath. “If you go back now, Uther will most assuredly know that you are sorceress. He will have no choice but to put you to death.”

The news was startling, but it made sense. “Arthur,” Morgana tried again. She had to see him; he couldn’t be left to think she was dead.

Morgause pursed her lips in a condescending manner. “He could not protect you. Do you really want to force him to watch you die for a second time?”

The logic was hard to argue with, but Morgana ached from the thought of Arthur in pain. His pain was her pain, and she could feel the twinge in her heart.

Desperate to win her case, Morgause added, “And the warlock, he was willing to let you die once before, he would not help you now. No one would.”

“A note,” Morgana suggested. She felt the warmth of tears pricking at her eyes. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“You would let him suffer, knowing he can never see you again?” Morgause questioned.

A sob escaped Morgana’s lips, but she knew her sister was right. She couldn’t put Arthur through that; he deserved to move on, if he wished. As much as she wanted to believe that this was a ploy of Morgause’s to try and destroy Camelot again, she knew that her sister’s claims had merit. “What shall I do?”

It was clear from Morgause’s smile that she knew she had won. “Stay here with me. You can learn to master your powers, and become a High Priestess. You will be more powerful than you could ever imagine, Morgana.”

Morgana didn’t want that, she wanted to see Arthur, even if the cost was her life.

Morgause noticed her hesitation. “You can wait it out, Morgana. Once you are powerful enough, Uther will be no threat to us. You could go home again.”

Morgana swallowed, debating her decision.

“I asked you once before to join me, Morgana. The two of us, we can work together. We can free everyone from the oppression of the Pendragon reign. You will have nothing to fear ever again.” Morgause grabbed one of Morgana’s hands in her own. “You could save thousands of lives.”

She was torn, but she knew that there was more at stake here than her desires, and she couldn’t be selfish. If she helped to remove Uther from power, Arthur could become king, and the land would flourish. Perhaps she possibly would be able to return to him, and they could have their happiness at last. But Morgause was right, she couldn’t do that now.

“Morgana?” Morgause asked, waiting for an answer.

Forcing herself to let go of her past life, she took a breath and stood up on her own, pushing Morgause out of the way. She simply replied, “I will.”

\---

In Camelot, deep in the night, Arthur woke from his slumber with a jolt. The vivid dream was still playing on a loop in his head. “Morgana,” he exclaimed.

This was only the beginning.

\---

_MERLIN  
WILL RETURN_


End file.
